At Scottish Rite Hospital, our Pediatric Developmental Disabilities department is world-renowned for the care of children with spina bifida. The condition occurs before birth when a child’s spinal cord is not properly formed. Because of its complexity, patients with spina bifida require care from a multidisciplinary team of experts.

Through the hospital’s commitment to addressing the needs of this patient population, the team was recently recognized as a Spina Bifida Association (SBA) Clinic Care Partner. This new program was created from the existing Spina Bifida Collaborative Care Network – a resource for people living with the condition. The SBA is a national group dedicated to conducting research and committed to providing education, support and advocacy to patients, caregivers and health care providers. 

As a care partner, the hospital’s spina bifida clinic is recognized as a premier place for children to receive the help and support they need. The program was developed based on 10 standards that were created based on experiences of similar conditions, literature about spina bifida and input from the SBA community. 

Medical Director of Pediatric Developmental Disabilities Richard Adams, M.D., is honored that the hospital has been selected for this inaugural program. “This designation is given to a very select group of institutions from across the country,” says Adams. “With a strict set of eligibility criteria, being recognized as a care partner reflects the quality of services provided, the quality of the clinicians and the support staff that we have here at the hospital. We are honored to be a part of this elite group and look forward to the continued relationship to provide the best care possible for those diagnosed with spina bifida.”

The award will be presented to the team in June at the Spina Bifida Clinical Care meeting in Philadelphia, PA.

Learn more about the hospital’s Pediatric Developmental Disabilities department.