Arriving at the Hospital

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford is located at:
725 Welch Road Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 497-8000

You are most welcome to use the free valet parking service and let the attendant park for you. The valet attendants are located at the top of the driveway at the main entrance to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford.

We want your child’s hospital experience to be as smooth and comfortable as possible. Please read our admission procedures to know more about arriving at the hospital.

Arrival

  • Please park in the Main building.
  • Valet parking is free on the day of the procedure/surgery.
  • You will need to get a badge at the front desk of the hospital when you arrive.
  • Go to the Treatment Center to check in.

Checking in for your child’s procedure or surgery

  • If your child is having a surgery, radiology procedure like a MRI, diagnostic procedure such as a catheterization, or laboratory services, get a visitor’s badge at the hospital’s main entrance and go directly to the Treatment Center which is located in the main atrium behind the welcome desk.
  • If your child is arriving for a non-surgical inpatient stay, get a visitor’s badge at the hospital’s main entrance and go to the patient admitting office, just to the right of the Treatment Center.
  • Pregnant women coming to deliver a baby should go to Labor and Delivery on the second floor of the West building. Please complete the check-in process prior to delivery.

Once you arrive at the Treatment Center

  • While you are checking in, we strongly encourage you to change your pharmacy to the hospital’s pharmacy for your child's discharge medications. This will guarantee that you have your child's medications with you when you leave. Also, some medications will be difficult to fill at your local pharmacy. You can change it back at your next appointment.
  • After check-in, you will be taken to an exam room, where a nurse will review your child’s medications, health, and allergies. The nurse will also ask you when your child last had anything to eat or drink, and you will be asked to review the consent form you signed.
  • For safety, you will be asked many times to provide your name, your child’s name, the type of surgery being done, and the last time your child ate or drank anything.

Important information to know

  • Your child may also be seen by child life specialists, who will help your child understand and cope with his or her visit to the hospital.
  • Before surgery, your child may be given medication to help him or her relax.
  • Your physician will decide the safest way to provide anesthesia to your child. Please ask about pain management options.
  • For some children, an IV will be placed. An IV is a tube that goes in your child’s vein to deliver fluids and medications; we will talk about ways we can help your child cope with this IV placement.
  • When your child goes into surgery, you will be taken to the Treatment Center Waiting Room, located near the check-in area. In this waiting room, you will be shown how to track your child’s journey during surgery.
  • You will be told when your child’s surgery should be completed. Plan to return to the Treatment Center at or before that time so you can meet with your child’s surgeon.
  • Read or print out our helpful guidelines for your next procedure or surgery.

During surgery

  • To keep your child asleep during the surgery, he or she will be given anesthesia medicine through a mask, an IV, or both.
  • Monitors will be placed on your child’s body to read vital signs during surgery. These include blood pressure, breathing, blood oxygen level, and heart rate.