Subacute Saratoga Children’s Hospital is a sophisticated medical facility for technologically dependent fragile children, yet our commitment is to provide an environment as close to home as possible. Medical care is provided to fit the needs of the child; the child is not molded to the needs of the Hospital. Many of our children live with us for years, attend school, and have visits from family and friends, go out on day trip, etc. Their normal psycho social development is as important as their medical problems. Many behavioral, developmental, and educational issues are dealt with at the monthly multidisciplinary pediatric rounds where all care takers (including RNs, Respiratory Therapy, Rehab, School personnel, case workers, etc) attend. Input from All is encouraged.
Our current capacity is thirty six beds, occupied by children from 4 months to 21 years of age. The age distribution is 26 % patients under 2 years, 9% between 2 & 5 years, 27% between 5 & 10, 19% between 10-15 years and 26% over 15 years. The duration of stays can be months to years. Our goal is to place each child in the least restrictive environment with the least technologic support possible. Therefore, aggressive programs are undertaken to move a child to Acute Rehab, group homes, foster care and ultimately and hopefully home to their families.
The physician staff has extensive experience in the care of these medically complex children. Common problems include seizure disorders that are occasionally intractable, major TBI with craniectomies, VP shunts, disorders of consciousness and cognition. Tone management, especially spasticity, requires a large variety of enteral medications. In addition we have developed an expertise in the evaluation for, the care and filling, and dosing of ITB pumps (10-15% of our patients have these implantable devices). Serial casting, casts, splints are all utilized along with other PT and OT programs to reduce spasticity and increase function. Botox and Phenol are also available for individualized control of tone. Care of the patient with SCI is also available, 10-15% of our children have complete SCI from C1 to C7.Patients with diabetes, renal or heart disease, pulmonary insufficiency and failure, infections, DVT, decubiti, etc. All these are currently cared at Subacute. All aspects of pulmonary and trach care is provided by 24 hr/in house RT presence. Gastrostomies, Central lines, etc. are also well-known to us.
Support Services
- Imaging studies that include digital images viewable on the website
- Ultrasound
- EKG
- Lab services for comprehensive blood tests, bacterial & viral cultures, etc.
- Nutrition Services that provide optimum diets.
- An available suite on site at minimal cost for families to stay at so they can visit their children and may be used for 1-3 days. The playground is available for family and staff picnics, parties, etc.
- Coordination of medical care and education is accomplished by close liaison with Santa Clara County of Education. Several of our children are mainstreamed in school even though they are trach and vent dependent, handicapped, etc. Other children attend the classroom on-site and/or receive bedside teaching.
- The facility is wireless. Computer use is encouraged for children in the facility as well as in the on site school.
- Consultation from Specialists is available from the private sector or the near by hospital (e.g. Ortho, Rehab, Neurology, Neurosurgery, GI, Pulmonology, etc.)
Where do our patients come from? The Acute Care hospitals in the Bay Area provide the majority of our referrals. These include San Francisco Area Hospital (CPMC, UCSF, and CHO) and local hospital (Stanford, Lucile Packard, SCVMC, Good Samaritan) and more distant hospitals, UC Davis, Central Valley Children’s Hospital and Kaiser Hospitals throughout the northern California also use our facility.
We are a Pediatric Subacute Rehab Hospital, and as such, encourage referrals of any pediatric patient that may benefit from our services regardless of age and complexity of condition.
Dr. Paul Quintana, M.D.
Pediatrician
Medical Director
