In case you didn't see it in our absence, Palo Alto Weekly ran a cover story on Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. In her piece writer Sue Dremann shares the stories of two young patients and highlights some of the hospital's accomplishments:
The hospital has led many innovations in pediatric medicine, including the discovery of a simple, inexpensive blood test to help doctors halt organ rejection before it impairs hearts and kidneys. It launched an industry-leading program for placental disorders and has been at the forefront of anorexia and childhood obesity treatment, according to the [U.S. News Media Group's 2011-12 Best Children's Hospitals survey].
...But the biggest change in patient care since Packard opened on June 10, 1991, hasn't been technological innovation, hospital officials said. It has been in so-called family-centered care — how families are integrated into the decision-making process. Fifteen years ago, parents stood on the sidelines of decision-making, hospital officials said. Now they participate in every aspect of patient care, from going on rounds or being present during medical crises to joining hospital advisory groups.
Previously: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital about to turn 20
