Family-centered Care Core Concepts

The caregivers at the UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center follow family-centered care core concepts. These concepts guide us in providing the best care possible to you and your family. The core concepts of family-centered care empower families in the care of their children.

Family strengths

The family is the constant in the child's life. We support and empower family members as partners and decision-makers in their child's care and help them cope more confidently with their child's illness.

Helping Children Cope with Health Care Experiences

Compassionate Children’s Medical Care in Central Massachusetts and Beyond

At the Children’s Medical Center, we care about your child’s complete well-being. That’s why we created ways to help children cope with health care experiences. 

Kid’s Comfort Promise Techniques

Kid’s Comfort Promise is an approach that makes needles hurt less, whether your child is 1 or 18. This approach uses proven tools and methods to relieve pain and stress from needles.

Joint Notice of Information Practices (Privacy Policy)

Patient Privacy

At UMass Memorial Health (UMass Memorial), your privacy is a priority. We follow strict federal and state guidelines to maintain the confidentiality of your medical (protected health) information.

We also follow state guidelines regarding how long we must store your medical records and the requirements for proper disposal.

Protected Health Information

Protected health information (PHI) is any information about your past, present or future health care, or payment for that could be used to identify you.

Transfer and Access Center

When a patient needs the specialty care available at UMass Memorial Medical Center, physicians can turn to the Transfer and Access Center (TrAC) to smooth the way, any time of day or night.

The Transfer and Access Center is an enhanced service focused on efficiently filling the needs of patients and the referring physician who requests a transfer. The Center is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by a team of experienced intensive care and emergency medicine nurses with significant expertise in direct patient care. 

Pediatric HIV/AIDS

If your child is infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) or is at risk for infection, he/she may need special care and treatment. Children benefit from the HIV research and care available through our Maternal-Child HIV Program and academic partner UMass Chan Medical School.

HIV Care Focused on Children

Our team of specialists will treat your child based on his/her unique needs. We focus on the following goals:

Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Bacterial, viral, parasitic or fungal infections are all types of infectious diseases that can make your child sick and are reason for concern. These illnesses need to be treated by specialists who are committed to preventing and treating acute and chronic infectious diseases including HIV and AIDS.

Types of Infectious Diseases We Treat

Typical referrals include children with:

Umbilical Cord Blood Donation

UMass Memorial Medical Center provides the option to donate your baby’s umbilical cord blood at the time of delivery. The blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby's birth is rich in stem cells that are found in bone marrow. It used to be thrown away as waste, but by donating it you can help advance medical research. 

Cord blood donation for research is easy and at no cost to you.