Rehabilitation Medicine

Refer a Patient

If you are unsure whether to refer your patient, please call our Clinical Intake Nurses at 206-987-2080, option 1. To locate or expedite a referral, call Clinical Intake Coordinators at 206-987-2080, option 2.

Appointment availability

Updated June 2023.

We are accepting new patients. Referrals from a treating provider are not required unless the patient is being seen for concussion or visiting our Neuromuscular clinic. However, we encourage all patients to get a referral so that we may schedule them with the right provider and communicate back to their referring provider. In most cases, our wait time is 2 weeks to 2 months. To reduce wait times and improve access, we review referrals daily and prioritize patients who need specialty care most urgently.

Access for subspecialty clinics:

  • Surgical tone management (hospital campus only): 2 weeks
  • Neuromuscular (hospital campus only): 2 weeks for initial intake appointment
  • Traumatic brain injury: 2 weeks
  • Arthrogryposis (hospital campus only): this a quarterly clinic, access is 3 to 4 months depending on time of referral

Referral requirements

Please submit a referral that is complete. This helps us schedule your patient’s appointment in a timely manner and ensure their first visit is smooth and productive.     

Please include:

  • Service/specialty clinic requested
  • Reason for referral: what is the clinical question for the specialist?
  • If the referral is urgent (see within 4 weeks) or routine (next available)
  • ICD-10 diagnosis – required
  • Visit type:
    • New patient consult, transfer of care, second opinion or return visit/ongoing care
  • All relevant clinical documents
    • Clinic notes
    • Medication history
    • Growth charts/curves
    • Lab reports
    • Imaging and diagnostic reports (images can be uploaded to PowerShare)
    • Previous specialty evaluations
  • Patient’s full name, DOB, sex, address, guardian contact information and insurance
  • Referring provider’s name, phone, fax and the referral coordinator’s email address so that we may contact you if additional information is needed
  • Preferred clinic location
  • If an interpreter is needed
  • Any known barriers to performing a successful telehealth (video) visit with the family
  • Therapy notes (occupational, speech, physical therapy)

Please note:

  • We see patients through age 20 except for concussion, which we see through age 17. Please refer patients age 21 and older to a provider for adults (age 18+ for concussion).
  • Hypertonia/cerebral palsy: To learn if your patient with hypertonia may benefit from selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery, please feel free to contact our Tone Management Program Manager Erin Hooper, RN, BSN, at 206-987-5917 or via email at tone@seattlechildrens.org. You may also view our hypertonia algorithm for helpful guidance. Learn more about SDR at Seattle Children’s.
  • Concussion: We see concussion patients only after they have been treated in primary care and have a referral from their provider. See “Resources for Providers” below to find an algorithm to help you know where to refer your patient with concussion (Rehab Medicine, Neurology or Sports Medicine) and concussion management information.
  • Back pain: We do not see patients for back pain when it is their primary complaint. Please consider referring these patients to our Pain Medicine Clinic.
  • Brachial plexus: Please refer these patients to our Brachial Plexus Clinic. A referral is required.
  • Wedges: We no longer fabricate 15- and 30-degree positioning wedges (including for infants with reflux) or accept referrals for the fabrication of these devices.

Submit a referral

New Appointment Request Form (PDF) (DOC)

Step-by-step guide to submitting a referral

New Patient Referral FAQ

If imaging studies (CT, MRI, X-rays) have been done, please upload to PowerShare or mail a disc to:

Seattle Children’s Rehabilitation Medicine
MS OB.8.410
PO Box 5371
Seattle, WA 98145-5005

Pease call our Clinical Intake Nurses if you need assistance at 206-987-2080, option 1.

We’re committed to partnering with you

We are always available to answer questions and support your care of your patients.

  • Diagnosis and treatment options: call 206-987-7777 (Provider-to-Provider Line)
  • Referring or transporting a patient to our Emergency Department or Urgent Care: call 206-987-8899 or toll free 866-987-8899 (ED Communications Center)
  • Questions about scheduling and referrals, including locating or expediting a referral: call 206-987-2080 (Clinical Intake Nurses)

Learn more about managing your patients at Seattle Children's, including viewing your patient’s records.

Meet the Rehabilitation Medicine team.

We are in Washington, Alaska and Montana. See our locations.  

What Your Patients Can Expect

  • Please ask families to call us to schedule their appointment once you have sent the referral.
  • Initial appointments are in person, with rare exceptions, and last approximately 45 minutes. Patients will be seen by a provider and may have a medical student, resident or fellow participate in their care.
  • Telemedicine visits are 30 minutes.

Resources and research for families:

Resources for Providers

To suggest additional resources from Seattle Children’s that would be useful to primary care providers, please email us.