Global Services | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The International Center is open Monday through Friday, from 10:00 to 17:00 (Eastern Standard Time), or by appointment. Please call or email us at international.center@childrens.harvard.edu or +1-617-355-5209.

Our team of interpreters is available to attend appointments with you. In addition, the case coordinators in the International Center can assist you in Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and a number of other languages.

Please send an initial inquiry email to international.center@childrens.harvard.edu or call the international center at +1-617-355-5209. You will hear back from our international team in about two business days.

Please send an initial inquiry to international.center@childrens.harvard.edu and our international team will coordinate with you the best course of action.

To receive an online second opinion, see our second opinion web page (English and Spanish only.) for more information. To schedule one in person, please contact our international team at international.center@childrens.harvard.edu or +1-617-355-5209.

Read more about our online second opinion process.

Many of our case coordinators speak Arabic, Mandarin, Hebrew, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

Please send an initial inquiry email to international.center@childrens.harvard.edu or call the international center at +1-617-355-5209. You will hear back from our international team in about two business days to coordinate with you the best course of action.

Your case coordinator will be able to give you a close estimate and an itemized breakdown of the potential costs prior to your arrival to Boston Children’s. However, prices cannot be guaranteed as there are several factors that can influence the diagnosis and treatment once the child arrives to Boston Children’s Hospital.

Our website has clinical profiles of all physicians and nurses on staff at the hospital. For additional information on any of our health professionals, contact the International Center at +1-617-355-5209 or international.center@childrens.harvard.edu.

It depends on your coverage and the type of specialty. If your child is sponsored by a government, specialty services are covered if the medical need is related to the primary diagnosis. Services and care that aren’t related to the primary diagnosis may not be covered, however. Contact your government health ministry representative or embassy for more information.

In the United States, most medications require a prescription signed by a physician. If you have a prescription signed by one of your treating physicians, you can bring it to any pharmacy to have it filled. For your convenience, an outpatient pharmacy is located in the main hospital building, on the first floor of the Pavilion Building.

Due to the high demand for our services, appointments can be difficult to book on short notice. We therefore ask that you make every effort to keep your appointments. However, we understand that urgent situations may arise that require you to reschedule. If this should happen, please notify the International Center as soon as possible and ask to be rescheduled. Failure to arrive at scheduled appointments may lead to a disruption in your child’s plan of care.

If you are at Boston Children’s Hospital, notify any hospital staff member of the emergency. If you are not at the hospital, dial 911 from any phone to reach emergency services and contact the physician caring for your child as soon as possible.

Children and adolescents traveling with the primary patient can receive medical care at Boston Children’s Hospital. However, their care needs to be coordinated separately with the insurance provider or sponsoring government.

Parents and other adult family members can seek care at one of the many world-class hospitals located nearby. We can help to arrange adult care at another hospital as needed.

We recommend that families plan ahead and travel to Boston with enough medication for the expected duration of their stay. If a family member does need medication while in Boston, we will help to make the necessary arrangements.

We recommend that you do not book travel to Boston until we have confirmed your initial appointment for consultation and evaluation.

Taxis are readily available at the airport and operate with a reliable meter system. If you wish to be picked up at the airport by a Boston Children’s Hospital representative who speaks your language, please contact the International Center at +1-617-355-5209 or international.center@childrens.harvard.edu.

We offer a variety of concierge services through the Hale Family Center for Families that help you get to know the city and your neighborhood. We can provide assistance with local shopping, transportation, cultural activities, household needs such as childcare and laundry, and more.

After you arrive you can speak to your case coordinator or the Hale Family Center for Families.

There are many options for getting a U.S. mobile phone and setting up voicemail. It is important to have a voicemail system in place so the hospital can reach you when needed. Please contact the International Center for more information about getting a mobile phone and setting up voicemail.