The mission of the Department of Pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is to improve the health of children and adolescents through excellence in patient care, research, teaching and community service. This mission is embraced by our faculty and staff who are deeply committed to the welfare of children and adolescents.
The mission of St. Louis Children’s Hospital (SLCH) is to “Do What’s Right for Kids!” The hospital leads the development of innovative, cost-effective approaches in prevention, primary care and specialty services with the ultimate goal of improving the health of all children. SLCH has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s best children’s hospitals and holds nursing’s highest honor, the Magnet designation.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital puts our children’s health first guided by the following values:
- Providing quality health care for families — regardless of ability to pay — in a warm, supportive environment
- Creating new frontiers in pediatric care, research and education
- Collaborating with primary care providers in the communities we serve
- Advocating for children and supporting the role of the family
- Providing an environment which appreciates diversity and encourages our staff to reach their full potential
- Encouraging a culture which rewards initiative, continuous learning, front-line decision-making and teamwork
- Demonstrating value to our constituents by making quality outcomes and service priorities while responsibly controlling costs
- Supporting the missions of BJC HealthCare and WUSM
- Fostering ethical behavior and decisions in all that we do
In 2006, the Children’s Discovery Institute (CDI) was established as a partnership between Washington University and St. Louis Children’s Hospital involving faculty, students and professional staff throughout the university’s academic and medical community. The CDI supports broad, interdisciplinary research initiatives within four specific areas: childhood cancer, musculoskeletal diseases, pulmonary disease and congenital heart disease.
A few additional examples of leadership in clinical research and practice include the medical and surgical treatment of intractable seizures and spastic diplegia, which have made the hospital a leading center for the care of children with neurological disorders. The physiologic basis for apnea in premature infants was described by Washington University faculty. Major contributions to research also have been made in the areas of sudden infant death, immunodeficiency disease, vaccine development and juvenile hypertension.