Outpatient Visit

St. Louis Children’s Hospital offers outpatient services in multiple locations, including the main campus, the Children’s Specialty Care Center–West County, and the Children’s Specialty Care Center–South County.

Whether you’re coming to us for an office visit, test, or procedure, we want you and your child to be prepared. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have.

Preparing Your Child for a Blood Draw is a booklet that aims to inform kids about the procedure, while reducing their stress and anxiety.

For tests or procedures:

If your primary care physician sends us a referral, a staff member from St. Louis Children’s will contact you about:

Scheduling the test or procedure
Specific information about the test or procedure. If you have a written referral, please contact us to get started.

What to bring to an outpatient visit

Insurance card (private, Medicare, or Medicaid)
Pharmacy card, if separate from insurance card
Valid government-issued photo identification (such as a driver's license or passport) for the patient’s parent or guardian
List or photos of medications your child takes with the dosage amounts and how often your child takes them
List of your child’s food or medicine allergies
Questions that you or your child may have. As part of our patient- and family-centered care, we encourage you and your child to become active members of the health care team

Please bring this information to any of the following:

Inpatient visit or outpatient appointment, including a doctor’s office visit
Hospital or Emergency Department
Ambulatory Procedure Center (APC)
Imaging appointments, including radiology services
Clinical laboratory
Pharmacy

Preparing your child for an outpatient procedure

Visiting the hospital can be stressful for your child—especially if they are having a test or procedure. Review the list of tips below and have your child watch this video that gives a first-hand account of what to expect when coming for an outpatient visit.

These tips can help you prepare your child for what to expect:

Visit our Preparing Your Child for a Hospital Stay page for age-appropriate tips on when to talk to your child about an upcoming test or procedure.
Speak in simple terms about your child’s procedure.
Be honest about what your child may experience, including shots or other potentially painful aspects of a visit or procedure. It may help to know that our staff use distraction techniques during potentially painful procedures.
Encourage your child to ask questions. It will give you a better idea about what they are concerned about and how to address any concerns.
If your child is having a test or procedure at the Ambulatory Procedure Center, watch the Visiting the Ambulatory Procedure Center video with your child.

Help during an outpatient procedure

During outpatient tests or procedures, Child Life specialists may be available to help minimize anxiety, and ensure your child has a positive experience.