Our History
Serving the nation’s children for more than 150 years, Children’s National Hospital has been an innovator in pediatric healthcare around the nation and around the world.
Children’s National was one of the nation's first children’s hospitals, opening in 1870 and growing from a modest 12-bed facility to a 323-bed facility that performs more than 17,000 surgeries and conducts more than 649,000 outpatient visits in more than 60 specialties each year.
Formerly referred to as D.C. Children’s Hospital, Children’s National is the only exclusive provider of pediatric care in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Today, the health system includes primary care health centers, regional outpatient centers, and affiliated pediatric primary and specialty care practices throughout the metropolitan area, in addition to providing tertiary care in our main hospital. Additionally, we’re home to the Children’s National Research Institute and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, as well as the Heart Center, the Gilbert Family Neurofibromatosis Institute, the Brain Tumor Institute and the IDEAL Obesity Program.
Throughout our history, we have witnessed tremendous growth and change in pediatric healthcare. The current marketplace is in the midst of unprecedented change, and Children's National is committed to staying in front of the curve.
Timeline
2011 to present
2024
- For the 8th straight year, Children's National Hospital is named one of the top 10 pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
- HSC specialty hospital and therapy centers were renamed Children’s National Rehabilitation & Specialized Care. The health plan continues under the name Healthcare Services for Children with Special Needs.
2023
- Children's National Hospital ranks #5 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and best in the Mid-Atlantic for neonatology, cancer, and neurology and neurosurgery.
- Children’s National Hospital Receives $96 Million Investment for Rare Pediatric Brain Tumor Research & Care.
- The Board of Children’s National selects Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, as its next president and CEO.
2022
- Five leading children's hospitals secure $29M in federal funding to enhance future pandemic readiness.
- A pediatric brain tumor first: Opening the blood brain barrier to deliver targeted therapies.
- U.S. News & World Report ranks Children's National #5 in the nation and #1 in newborn care.
2021
- National Institutes of Health awards Children’s National Hospital $6.7M to build out additional lab space at the new Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, preparing phase II.
- Children’s National Hospital hosts First Lady and Dr. Fauci as they encourage families to get COVID vaccine.
- Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus welcomes Rare Disease Institute as first occupant.
- Children’s National Hospital and NIAID launch large study on long-term impacts of COVID-19 and MIS-C on kids.
- For the fifth year in a row, U.S. News & World Report ranks Children's National a top 10 children’s hospital nationally and No.1 in newborn care.
2020
- COVID-19 vaccine given to first wave of staff at Children's National Hospital.
- Children’s National Hospital opens new health care center in Prince George’s County.
- Children’s National Hospital creates community network to address racial health disparities for young children and families.
- For the fourth year in a row, U.S. News & World Report ranks Children's National a top 10 children’s hospital nationally and No. 1 in newborn care.
- A new, highly-specialized Colorectal Program opens its doors.
2019
- Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Children's National Hospital announce a collaboration to launch JLABS @ Washington, DC at the new Children's National Research & Innovation Campus.
- Virginia Tech and Children's National announce a partnership that will launch a Virginia Tech biomedical research facility on the new Research & Innovation Campus.
- The first Washington-based Turner syndrome clinic opens its doors.
- In collaboration with Children's National, Johns Hopkins Medicine opens the Proton Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital, offering proton therapy to local pediatric and adult cancer patients.
- The HSC Health Care System signs an agreement to integrate into the Children's National family.
- Dr. Bear Bot, the new telehealth robot, is revealed on Valentine's Day in the cardiac intensive care unit to deliver robot-themed Valentine's Day cards to doctors and patients.
- Whittle School & Studios launches a collaboration with the Telehealth Program.
- Children's National ranks number 6 overall and number 1 for newborn care in U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals top 10 list for a third year.
2018
- U.S. News & World Reports ranks Children's National top 5 overall and number 1 for babies for the 2018-19 Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll.
- Renovations for the new Research & Innovation Campus begin on the former Walter Reed Medical Center Campus.
- Children's National launches a new initiative to "Make March Matter," a campaign that invites local D.C. businesses to participate in raising $1 million to support healthcare for children.
- A newly renovated child and adolescent inpatient psychiatry unit opens.
- Sidney and Phyllis Bresler generously gift a cutting-edge virtual reality surgical system to improve surgical outcomes.
2017
- Children’s National Rare Disease Institute (CNRDI) opens its doors.
- The Bunny Mellon Healing Garden opens for patients and families seeking reflection and meditation in a safe outdoor setting. The Healing Garden was made possible by a multimillion-dollar gift from the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation and generous gifts from Heather and Andy Florance, the employees of CoStar Group and other donors.
- The Dental Clinic celebrates its expansion with a newly renovated facility and state-of-the-art imaging and technology.
- The Autism Behavioral Communications (ABC) Support team is formed to make the hospital more autism-friendly.
- Children's National becomes the first pediatric medical institution in the U.S. to receive combined FACT accreditation for excellence in cellular immunotherapy.
2016
- Second national summit is convened to advance mental healthcare for children.
- Children's National launches "Grow Up Stronger" advertising campaign that speaks to the work we do, the families we support, and the kids we help.
- Surgeons and scientists from Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children's National Health System are the first to demonstrate that supervised, autonomous robotic soft tissue surgery on a live subject is feasible and outperforms standard clinical techniques.
- Children's National launches new Congenital Zika Virus Program.
2015
- Designated for a second time as a Magnet® hospital, a designation given to hospitals that demonstrate the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery.
- Grand opening of Seacrest Studios.
- Becomes the first freestanding pediatric hospital to publish provider satisfaction ratings online.
- New primary care offices open in Foggy Bottom and Capitol Hill.
- Children's National doctors use MR-HIFU to destroy bone tumors without scalpels or needles.
2014
- Fetal Medicine Institute (now the Zickler Family Prenatal Pediatrics Institute) opens its doors at Children's National.
- Children's National convenes first-ever national summit to advance mental healthcare for children.
- Washington Business Journal announces Children's National Health System as the most powerful brand and Kurt Newman, MD as one of the most admired CEOs in the Washington, DC metro region.
- Children's National is designated as national Ebola-ready treatment center.
- Children’s National launches a redesigned website to engage and inform patients and their families.
- The first Sheikh Zayed Prize for Pediatric Device Innovation awards $50,000 in funding to two winners.
2013
- Children’s redefines and repositions its brand, changing the logo and name for the first time since 1985 to Children’s National Health System, which reflects how we’re no longer just a hospital, but a comprehensive health system for kids—providing everything they need for their care, whether it is well visits, or a hospitalization.
- One-of-a-kind Pain Medicine Care Complex, which revolutionizes the way children are treated for pain, opens.
- Washington Nationals Diabetes Care Complex opens.
2011
- New Cardiac Intensive Care Unit opens.
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation opens a new outpatient unit.
- Outpatient radiology facility, the Montgomery County Regional Outpatient Center, opens in Rockville, Md.
- Seven new operating rooms open as part of a phased overhaul to the entire OR suites, bringing totals to 17 operating rooms and two GI procedure rooms.
- New research space opens for the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, possible by a historic gift of $150 million from the government of Abu Dhabi - the largest gift ever made to support pediatric surgery, and one of the largest to any children's hospital.
Facts at a Glance
Our Fast Facts provides you with everything you need to know about Children’s National – from our locations to our specialty care programs to our research initiatives.
New Robot in the Cardiac ICU
After a three-month voting period, the robot's name was revealed during an interview. Dr. Bear Bot delivered Valentine's Day cards to doctors and patients following the interview.
