PALO ALTO, Calif-- Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford has opened the Comprehensive Care Program at El Camino Hospital, the in-patient unit of Packard Hospital’s Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program.
 
Led jointly by the Stanford University School of Medicine’s Divisions of Adolescent Medicine and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Eating Disorders Program not only offers an initial comprehensive medical and psychiatric evaluation to patients, but also provides continuous medical, psychiatric and nutritional evaluation and treatment.  Among the disorders these patients face are anorexia nervosa, bulimia and other types of atypical eating problems. 
 
“This is the only comprehensive program in the Northern California that addresses the medical and psychiatric treatment needs of adolescents with these disorders,” says Packard Hospital CEO Christopher Dawes.  “The program is important to our mission and essential to the families of these children, who often have nowhere else to turn.”
 
There are 15 beds at El Camino Hospital assigned to the Eating Disorders Program.  This customized facility also includes a school room, a room for patients to dine together and a room devoted to physical and occupational therapy.
 
While the physical location of these patients will be at El Camino, the diagnoses, care, and treatment will come from Packard physicians and staff.   Telemedicine technology, including interactive video conferencing, will allow subspecialists at Packard to consult with patients at El Camino.
 
“Moving to a new facility at El Camino allows our Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program to expand its ability to provide treatment,” says James Lock, M.D., co-director of the Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program.   “Though the in-patient unit is only one part of the overall program, this move creates more bed space for those patients who need the most critical care.”
 
“We are a seamless program staffed by pediatricians specializing in adolescent medicine, child psychologists and psychiatrists, nutritionists, nurses and social workers,'' says Iris Litt, M.D., co-director of the program and chief of the division of adolescent medicine at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. ``We've seen thousands of kids with eating disorders, and we have an excellent track record because of our coordinated care. We've also been responsible for basic research that improves care.''
 
The move of the Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program is part of Packard Children's Hospital's long-term plan to create an Adolescent Medicine Service at El Camino Hospital.
 

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About Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
 
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford is a 240-bed hospital devoted entirely to the care of children and expectant mothers. Providing pediatric medical and surgical services associated with Stanford University Medical Center, Packard offers patients locally, regionally and nationally the full range of health-care programs and services - from preventive and routine care to the diagnosis and treatment of serious illness and injury.  To learn more about Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, please visit our Web site at http://www.lpch.org.