Refer a Patient
How to Refer a Patient
If you are unsure about whether to refer your patient, please call our Clinical Intake Nurses at 206-987-2080, option 1.
Appointment availability
Updated August 2021.
We are accepting referrals for new patients ages 14 and under.
Referral requirements
Please submit a referral that is complete. This helps us schedule your patient’s appointment in a timely manner and ensure their first visit is smooth and productive.
Please include:
- Service/specialty clinic requested
- Reason for referral: what is the clinical question for the specialist?
- If the referral is urgent (see within 4 weeks) or routine (next available)
- ICD-10 diagnosis – required
- Visit type:
- New patient consult, transfer of care, second opinion or return visit/ongoing care
- ALL relevant clinical documents
- Clinic notes
- Medication history
- Growth charts/curves
- Lab reports
- Imaging and diagnostic reports
- Previous specialty evaluations
- Patient’s full name, DOB, sex, address, guardian contact information and insurance
- Referring provider’s name, phone, fax and the referral coordinator’s email address so that we may contact you if additional information is needed
- Preferred clinic location
- If an interpreter is needed
- Any known barriers to performing a successful telehealth (video) visit with the family
Please note:
- We recommend patients try community-based feeding therapy with a speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist or PhD-level provider before being referred to our team for more complex care.
Submit a referral
- New Appointment Request Form (PDF) (DOC)
- Step-by-step guide to submitting a referral
- New Patient Referral FAQ
- Referral Triage Form (for use by referring providers only).
Please call our Clinical Intake Nurses if you need assistance: 206-987-2080, option 1.
We’re committed to partnering with you
If we evaluate your patient and determine they do not have a condition that requires ongoing evaluation and management in a specialty setting, we will return them to you with an appropriate plan of care.
We are always available to answer questions and support your care of your patients.
- Diagnosis and treatment options: call 206-987-7777 (Provider-to-Provider Line)
- Referring or transporting a patient to our Emergency Department or Urgent Care: call 206-987-8899 or toll free 866-987-8899 (ED Communications Center)
- Questions about scheduling and referrals, including locating or expediting a referral: call 206-987-2080 (Clinical Intake Nurses)
Learn more about managing your patients at Seattle Children's, including viewing your patient’s records.
Meet the Pediatric Feeding Program team.
See our locations.
What Your Patients Can Expect
- Once we receive your referral, your patient will be in our queue to review and schedule. Many services have a long wait for appointments.
- Families may call 206-987-0008 to ask to be added to a cancellation list.
- We review openings and the patient referral queue daily.
- As openings become available, we call families to schedule based on provider availability and the patient’s condition and acuity.