About Duke Children's
Mission and Values
"Our patients and their families are shining examples of courage and strength. They are a source of inspiration to us as we work to bring children the benefits of the latest medical care and research in a warm, child-friendly atmosphere--and to bring new hope to the children we serve, today and tomorrow."
Joseph W. St. Geme III, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
CMO, Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center
Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center is dedicated to providing the best possbile care for the patients and families we serve today and discovering treatments that will enhance the health care of future generations.
We are committed to achieving and maintaining a standard of excellence in all we do. Most importantly, we consistently strive to make the patient experience a model of quality care through advanced treatment, compassionate support, and full family participation and communication.
We also set the highest standard possible for training pediatric health care professionals by offering innovative curricula and learning systems to enhance trainees' learning and development.
Our mission is to provide:
- Excellence in the clinical care of infants and children;
- Innovation in basic and applied research;
- Leadership in the education of health care professionals; and
- Advocacy for children's health.
Leadership
Joseph St. Geme, III, MD, has served as the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics since his arrival in July 2005 and the Chief Medical Officer of Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center since July 2007. A nationally-recognized expert in basic research and clinical treatment for pediatric infectious diseases, he was professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. St. Geme was a postdoctoral fellow in infectious diseases and microbiology at Stanford University from 1988 to 1992. He served as chief resident in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 1987 to 1988 after completing residency training at the Children's Hospital. Dr. St. Geme graduated from Stanford University in 1979 and earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1984.
Outreach and Advocacy
A nationally ranked pediatrics program and international referral center, Duke Children's is also dedicated to improving the delivery of health care in Durham and throughout the Southeast.
Our specialty outreach services include a cardiology telemedicine program, which links Duke pediatric cardiologists with caregivers at community hospitals in North Carolina and Virginia; a collaborative center created by Duke Children's and other local universities that provides medical and mental health services for abused children and raises awareness about child abuse and neglect; and the Duke children's pediatric HIV clinic, which has cared for hundreds of HIV-infected or -exposed infants throughout the region since 1986.
As one of the largest charity health care providers for children in the Southeast, Duke Children's brings care directly to those who are often overlooked.
Facts at a Glance
- Duke Children's provides a comprehensive array of
pediatric services for children from birth to
adulthood. Duke's
multidisciplinary approach to care is especially effective in
the treatment of complex childhood health problems. - Duke Children's is consistently ranked among the top pediatric specialty programs nationwide by U.S. News & World Report.
- Duke Children's specialty services provide comprehensive care in 28 pediatric specialties, ranging from common allergies and infectious diseases to complex leukemias and genetic disorders.
- Duke Children's specialty outreach services include regional satellite clinics and a cardiology telemedicine program that links Duke pediatric cardiologists with neonatal and pediatric caregivers at community hospitals in North Carolina and Virginia.
- Duke's Camp Kaleidoscope provides an opportunity for children with chronic and terminal illnesses to experience the joys of summer camp. The free, one-week-long program is open to all Duke pediatric patients (with the consent of their healthcare providers) and is funded through philanthropic support.
- Comprehensive pediatric specialties: 28
- Total beds: 149
- Annual pediatric outpatient visits: 176,000
- Annual pediatric hospital admissions: 7,000
- Average length of inpatient stay: 9 days
- Annual pediatric Emergency Department visits: 14,000
- Pediatric surgeries performed annually: 4,850
- Regional outreach programs: 34
- Pediatric research studies conducted annually at Duke: 169
- Annual extramural support for Duke pediatric research: $25 million
