ChristianaCare, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia announce affiliation

The collaboration, which is expected to begin in spring 2026, will enhance access to specialized pediatric care by bringing CHOP’s renowned expertise closer to home for families in the communities ChristianaCare serves in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, a release stated.

“This collaboration brings together two amazing organizations that are already nationally recognized for clinical excellence—and we’re going to be even better together,” said Janice E. Nevin,  CEO of ChristianaCare. “Our affiliation with CHOP marks a bold step forward in our mission to provide the highest quality care to children and families across the communities we serve. These are uncertain times for many parents with young children in need of routine or complex medical care. ChristianaCare and CHOP are joining forces to provide world-class care, close to home, at a time when it’s needed most.”

“Bringing seamless, family-centered care to our patients is a priority at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,” said Madeline Bell, CEO at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “As one of the region’s most dynamic health systems, ChristianaCare has earned a national reputation for its bold approaches to both clinical care and innovation. Our new affiliation is driven by a shared vision: redefining what is possible in health care and ensuring that every patient — at every stage of life — receives the highest standards of care, from infancy through adulthood.”

The affiliation will include all ChristianaCare hospitals and locations where pediatric emergency and inpatients are cared for.

The collaboration will initially focus on pediatric and neonatal services. Patients at ChristianaCare will have access to CHOP’s expertise in rare and complex diseases and a wide range of newborn and pediatric services, including surgery, cardiology, neurology, radiology, ophthalmology and genetics, as well as educational and research opportunities. As the collaboration grows, it will explore further opportunities to expand pediatric care and improve health care delivery in the region.

The affiliation comes despite the presence of Nemours Children's Health, which operates a hospital near Wilmington and outpatient facilities in Delaware and the Delaware Valley.

ChristianaCare has been a pioneer in neonatal care and has pediatric practices within its footprint which  is mainly  in New Castle County, but has expanded into Kent and Sussex.