The Global Medical Services team at Boston Children’s Hospital is dedicated exclusively to serving the needs of our international patients and their families. We understand the unique challenges of traveling abroad for health care and offer support for each stage of travel and your child’s care.
Our case coordinators are here to help you find the information you need and connect you with the right team — from the initial point of contact through all stages of your child’s care. If you have questions at any stage of this process, please contact us at +1-617-355-5209 or international.center@childrens.harvard.edu.
To get started, gather information that will help us understand your child’s medical condition and treatment so far. This includes a medical summary from your child’s doctor, translated into English, along with all of your child’s pertinent medical records, imaging, and lab reports.
Once you have gathered your child’s medical information, fill out the patient intake form and email it along with your child’s medical records to international.center@childrens.harvard.edu. Our team will review this information and let you know the next steps for your child. This may include a written second opinion. You can expect to hear back from us within three to five business days.
Our Global Medical Services team will review your child’s medical information to determine whether your child would benefit from treatment at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Before you travel to Boston Children’s, we will send you a tentative financial estimate. If your insurance provider is covering the cost of care, we’ll obtain a letter of guarantee from them. If you are paying out of pocket, you must provide full payment before you arrive.
We will schedule your child’s appointments with the appropriate Boston Children’s specialists once the financial review is complete and we receive financial clearance.
After steps 1 through 5 are complete, you can make travel arrangements. If needed, your case coordinator can help you with the visa process and finding a place to stay near the hospital.
Once we learn that you are planning to bring your child to Boston Children’s, we’ll assign your family a dedicated case coordinator to serve as your main contact person in the hospital.
Before you travel, your case coordinator will:
Once you arrive, your case coordinator will:
Throughout your child’s time at the hospital, our Global Medical Services team will follow your child’s care. This team of consulting doctors, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses will:
From the initial intake process, to planning the best course of treatment, to ensuring your child will have the resources they need at home, the Global Medical Services team will work closely with other Boston Children’s specialists to provide your child the best possible care.
The Hale Family Center for Families at Boston Children’s provides both practical support for families and a space where you can rest and relax during your time at Boston Children’s. Conveniently located next to the main lobby, The Hale Family Center offers hospitality services, communication resources, well-being offerings, and more.
Services include:
Interpreters for all languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, and Portuguese, are available 24 hours a day and can be found in the hospital on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on-call evenings and weekends. We can also facilitate interpretation through three-way phone calls or video conference with an iPad (located in every department).
A second opinion from Boston Children’s can confirm your child’s diagnosis, help you understand your child’s treatment options, and confirm the treatments recommended for your child. This optional step can provide reassurance before you step foot on a plane that your child’s case was reviewed by a Boston Children’s expert.
We use telehealth to have live discussions with your family and your child’s doctor, both as you prepare to travel to Boston Children’s and after you return home.
Boston Children’s uses a variety of technologies to protect your child’s health information and manage the flow of information between you and the clinicians involved in your child’s care. These include secure interactive videoconferencing technologies, encrypted messaging, and digital file uploading.
In most cases, all you need to use telehealth is adequate internet access and a computer, tablet, or smartphone that includes a webcam, microphone, and audio.