If you're concerned that you or your child may have been exposed to COVID-19, please do NOT visit an emergency or urgent care location. Instead, call your doctor or our free ParentSmart Healthline at 720-777-0123 for guidance.
In life-threatening emergencies, find the emergency room location nearest you. For non-life-threatening medical needs when your pediatrician is unavailable, visit one of our urgent care locations.
To help inform you about the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) updates, experts from Children's Colorado have gathered information from local and national health authorities.
Advocating for kids – in and out of the hospital ™
Children's Hospital Colorado partners with the community to advocate for the health and safety of kids. Our work goes beyond our hospital walls and into the communities we support. We're proud to lead the effort to bring solutions to some of our community's most pressing pediatric health issues.
To reinforce our ongoing commitment to community health improvement, Children's Colorado established the Child Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI). CHAI's mission is to positively impact the health and safety of children by working collaboratively with the public and our community partners. By bringing people together and leading the way in child health and safety, CHAI builds and operates evidence-based programs aimed at creating a thriving community for all children.
Supporting community health needs for children
Imagine a child who is referred to the Lifestyle Medicine Program of Children's Colorado for obesity management. Not only does this child's obesity impact their physical health and well-being, it likely impacts other health areas, like their susceptibility to injury, asthma and oral health issues.
Before looking to immediately address the issue of obesity, which also trickles into these other health conditions, we must first recognize the comprehensive nature of a child's care, including social determinants of health.
Social determinants of child health
Several factors likely contribute to a child's struggle with obesity.
For example, does the child live in a neighborhood where it isn't safe to play outside? Does their family have access or financial means to purchase healthy foods? Do they come from a culture where managing obesity isn't a priority? Does their school have physical education classes as part of the curriculum?
When we get to the core of what's causing health problems, it typically involves many layers of influence. In fact, only 20% of health depends on clinical care; the other 80% depends on social determinants, according to the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Specifically:
40% relates to social and economic factors such as education, culture, employment, income, community safety, family and social support
30% relates to health behaviors like tobacco use, diet, exercise and alcohol use
10% relates to the physical environment or environmental quality
Many children experience overlapping social determinants of health, such as low income, lack of transportation and poor access to safe places and role models, which consequently affects their health and well-being.
The population health approach for kids
The future of healthcare depends on how we address and support the whole picture of a child's health and begin to change both the way we deliver healthcare and the way our population accesses healthcare. Every population and every community has a different set of healthcare needs, and delivering care isn't a one-size-fits-all model.
We call this model population health, where we implement creative and alternative methods to ensure access to care for the entire population — in our case, children. The population health approach is not only about access to medical care, but also supporting health and wellness in the home, communities and schools. It's about delivering healthcare that lasts beyond a visit to the doctor or a check-in at the clinic.
At Children's Colorado, one of our goals is to create healthier communities through the population health approach. We invest resources into keeping kids out of our hospital through preventative programs and partnerships, and by addressing all aspects of their care.
Why community health partnerships are critical for kids
By partnering with primary care providers, schools and community-based organizations who have similar goals to improve child health, we can work together to reduce illness and improve the health and well-being of children in our community.
Children's Colorado conducts regular assessments to better understand the current state of children's health. Based on ongoing conversations with our community, we've identified five priority areas in which to focus our work.
Additional needs include care for children with special needs, safe neighborhoods and oral health.
Learn how we work with our local community to identify and prioritize children's most pressing health needs through our Community Health Needs Assessment.
Healthier kids through public policy
Public policy decisions can dramatically shape the health of children, for better or worse. That’s why we speak up on their behalf – year after year.
Each year, about 2,000 babies born in Colorado will fail an initial newborn hearing test. Allison Cunningham, a pediatric audiologist at Children’s Colorado, spoke with Fox 21 News about a much-needed update to the Newborn Screening Bill to include screening for hearing loss, which will help kids like four-year-old Johnny Mcleod.
Jena Hausmann, President and CEO for Children’s Colorado, advocates for the Children and Youth Mental Health Treatment Act, a bill that would strengthen the youth mental health system in Colorado for children with highly specialized mental health needs.
Kelly Galloway, head of nursing for outpatient care and the pediatric call center at Children’s Colorado, speaks with CBS4 about the importance of renewing the interstate nursing compact to help address the nurse shortage in Colorado.
Patient ratings and reviews are not available
Children's Hospital Colorado partners with NRC Health to gather star ratings and reviews from patients, residents and family survey data.
This provider either practices in a department or specialty that we currently do not survey, or does not have at least 10 ratings in the last 12 months. Learn more about patient ratings and reviews.
Provider affiliation
Children's Hospital Colorado providers
Children’s Hospital Colorado providers are faculty members of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Our specialists are nationally ranked and globally recognized for delivering the best possible care in pediatrics.
Community providers
Some healthcare professionals listed on our website have medical privileges to practice at Children’s Hospital Colorado, but they are community providers. They schedule and bill separately for their services, and are not employees of the Hospital.