We just moved to the Geneva with young children and have heard from everyone that the pediatric care in clinique grangettes is great. However we also know a doctor at HUG who takes his kids there and says the pediatric doctors are excellent as is the pediatric ER (which unfortunately we have had to use one late night and it was great). Any opinions of one network of Drs vs the other? Why is most of the talk regarding the cliniques and not HUG? Has anyone had experience with both?

Not specifically pediatrics, but in general. The cliniques give you more attention and personalised care while in hospital in my experience (and also everything from food to cleanliness).

It also depends on your insurace as well, private vs. semi private or public ward. I was once put into the public ward, ie. 8 beds in a dim room, in the HUG, it was quite a depressing experience. I don't think there is any 8-bed room in any clinique I know.

But I think it really depends on your doctor. Typcially your doctor refers you to a specialist, and it depends on where the specialist practices. The HUG has some of the best specialist around, so you may have to go there to get their treatment. Altenatively, everything else being equal with the doctor, I would choose a clinic if I needed hospitalisation (assuming correct insurance coverage).

Also, some cliniques are so small they don't have a real pediatric ward, or the pedaitric ward does not treat everything, so one must go the HUG. One of my children had a facial cut in a very visable place, requiring stitches. The general hospital, no pediatric ward, preferred we take to to the CHUV pediatric hospital (Lasuanne equivalent of the HUG) as they had smaller needles and better equipped/trained staff for children that would give here better treatment and less scarring.