Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, New York, is dedicated to improving the health status and quality of life of children with complex medical and rehabilitative needs. Over its 111-year history, it has been a leader in developing innovative, multi-disciplinary inpatient and ambulatory programs, as well as a community resource for children with a variety of medical concerns. 

Blythedale traces its roots to 1891, when a group of women of the New York Ethical Culture Society began visiting shut-in children in New York City, furnishing them with clothing and food, as well as obtaining medical attention for them. In 1922, Blythedale moved to its present campus in Valhalla. 

Today, Blythedale is the only independent, free-standing children’s hospital in New York State. It is a 92-bed non-profit hospital serving youngsters from birth through age 19 without regard to sex, financial ability, religion or race. Its staff of more than 90 physicians includes not only a dedicated fulltime faculty with specialists in such areas as pediatrics and physical medicine and rehabilitation, but also numerous pediatric sub-specialists representing the faculties of virtually every major teaching hospital in the greater metropolitan area. 

As Blythedale has enhanced its medical, nursing, and respiratory therapy staffs, along with the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical equipment, the Hospital has been able to treat infants transferred from neonatal intensive care units and children/adolescents transferred from pediatric intensive care units. Today, almost 40% of patients admitted to Blythedale (from acute care hospitals) are referred from intensive care units for continuing medical care and rehabilitation.

In addition, the Hospital provides diagnosis and treatment of hundreds of outpatients with a wide range of specialties. Pediatric medical specialties include neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedics, cardiology, neonatalogy, pulmonology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, dentistry, ENT, plastic surgery, gastroenterology, endocrinology, sports medicine, rheumatology, genetic counseling, a Learning Diagnostic Center, as well as a full range of sub-specialties. 

Blythedale also operates a Day Hospital Program for 150 children, and a large diagnostic and treatment outpatient service. The Day Hospital is designed for patients who live at home but still require a level of medical and rehabilitative care that cannot be met by their school or an outpatient program. The Hospital also offers a variety of multidisciplinary team centers, including a Spina Bifida Center, a Spasticity Program, a Genetics Center, The Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes, and a brace and orthotic center.

Each Inpatient and Day Hospital unit is coordinated by a full-time pediatrician and nurse practitioner expert in the special medical, emotional and educational needs of the children on their unit. 

Other services provided by the Hospital's multi-disciplinary teams include nursing, physical, occupational, speech and recreation therapies, psychological counseling, respiratory therapy and social services. Diagnostic services include radiology, laboratory, ultrasonography, echo-cardiography, electromyography, electroencephalography, audiologic testing, auditory evoked response testing, visual acuity testing and more.

Designated by the Legislature as a separate public school district, Blythedale is the only hospital in New York State with its own separate public school on site, uniquely serving the special needs of its children. For children in its inpatient and day hospital programs, it offers both a pre-school and full school-age educational program. In October 1998 the Blythedale School moved into a new on-site 32,000 square foot building.

While Blythedale remains independent, its programs are done in partnership with some of the pre-eminent pediatric programs in the country. These partnerships enable it to engage the services of the best pediatric sub-specialists in their respective fields. Blythedale also works closely with a large cross-section of hospitals, colleges and universities in providing training for professional students, in various medical, therapy and other clinical fields. 

Blythedale is licensed by the State of New York and fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The Hospital received a score of 97 out of 100 - one of the highest scores in the region - during its JCAHO survey conducted in February 2002.

Blythedale Children’s Hospital is committed to a diverse workforce and to a policy of equal employment opportunity. For those who work at Blythedale, it is an opportunity to witness, on a daily basis, just how much can be done to improve the life of a child when a team approach is taken. Employees also have the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.