Getting an endocrinology appointment in Seattle is rarely a single phone call. Depending on who the patient is and how they're covered, you may need a referral, a specific clinic within a health system, and some patience on hold. This guide lays out the routes we can document and the steps that make each one go faster.
It's about process, not medical decisions. Whether you need to see an endocrinologist, and how soon, is a question for your primary care clinician. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
Key points
- Seattle Children's needs a referral from a primary care doctor or another specialist before you call to book.
- Kaiser Permanente Washington members should start inside Kaiser; its endocrinology department is at the Capitol Hill South Building.
- Virginia Mason warns of high call volumes and long phone waits, so plan your call.
- A complete referral packet, with labs, reports and a medication list, cuts down on back-and-forth before the first visit.
Do you need a referral?
It depends on the clinic and your insurance. The one rule we've confirmed on an official page is Seattle Children's: its endocrinology clinic needs a referral from the child's primary care doctor or another specialist.
For adult care, ask in two places. Your primary care clinician knows where they send endocrine referrals and how. Your insurer's member services, at the number on your card, can tell you whether your plan requires a referral or prior approval for a specialist visit.
We haven't yet confirmed Washington's Medicaid rules, state marketplace plan rules or HMO referral requirements against official sources, so we don't summarize them here. Your plan documents and member services are the authority on your coverage.
Route 1: Booking for a child or teen
Seattle Children's provides long-term care for children and teens with issues related to growth, puberty, diabetes or other hormone and gland disorders. Its booking path, set out on its contact and locations page, is clear.
- Talk with your child's doctorStart with the child's primary care doctor, or another specialist already involved in your child's care. Seattle Children's needs a referral from one of them.
- Make sure the referral goes outAsk the referring office when it will be sent and whether recent growth measurements, lab results and visit notes will go with it. Keep that office's phone number handy.
- Call Seattle Children's endocrinologyWith the referral in place, call 206-987-2640.
- Confirm the locationAsk which Seattle Children's site your child will be seen at. The Sand Point clinic lists diabetes and endocrinology among its specialties.
Route 2: Kaiser Permanente Washington members
If Kaiser Permanente Washington is your health plan, the simplest start is inside Kaiser. Kaiser lists its Diabetes & Endocrinology department at the Capitol Hill South Building, 125 16th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112, and notes that it's closed weekends and holidays.
Kaiser also sells a Washington Medicare Advantage (HMO) Group Plan, and its November 2025 provider directory for that plan lists endocrinologists. If you're on that plan, the directory is a useful list to discuss with your Kaiser primary care clinician. For referral rules, rely on your plan documents and Kaiser member services.
Route 3: Adults with other coverage
- Ask where the referral will goAsk your primary care clinician which system, clinic and site they'll send the referral to, and why that one fits your situation.
- Confirm network statusCall the member services number on your insurance card. Ask whether that clinic and clinician are in network, and whether a referral or prior approval is needed.
- Check the referral arrivedOnce it's sent, call the receiving clinic and ask whether they have it and whether anything is missing.
- Book, then confirm the detailsNote the address, building, floor and arrival instructions. For UW's Harborview clinic in particular, confirm the address, since two versions appear in public listings.
- Look up the clinicianOnce you know who you'll see, check their Washington credential before the visit.
For the address question at Harborview, compare the UW program page, which lists 325 9th Ave., with a map listing that gives 908 Jefferson St, Floor 10, and ask the clinic which is right for your visit. Our clinic guide has more on each system.
What a good referral packet includes
A referral tends to move faster when the receiving clinic has what it needs up front. The list below is a checklist to go over with your referring office, not a requirement any Seattle clinic has published. Ask which items they're sending and offer to fill gaps yourself.
- The referral itself, with the reason for the referral stated plainly
- Recent lab results, with dates
- Imaging or biopsy reports, such as a thyroid ultrasound, if you've had them
- A current list of medications and supplements as written on the labels
- For diabetes: whatever glucose records you keep, such as meter logs or device reports
- For a child: growth charts or height and weight measurements from the pediatrician
- Your insurance details and the referring clinician's name, phone and fax
- Names of any other specialists involved in your care
Ask for copies of everything in the packet. If a fax goes missing or a clinic asks again, you can resend it yourself instead of starting over.
Booking by phone without losing your afternoon
Virginia Mason's endocrinology services page warns callers of high call volumes and long phone waits. Even where a clinic doesn't say so, it pays to prepare as if it might.
- Call from a quiet place with time to stay on hold, and use speakerphone.
- Have your insurance card, referral details and the referring clinician's contact information in front of you.
- Write a one-sentence reason for the visit so you can say it the same way each time.
- Ask whether the referral has been received and is complete.
- Ask whether there is a cancellation list or waitlist.
- Ask whether a first visit with another clinician on the endocrinology team would mean an earlier date.
- Note the date, time and name of each person you speak with.
- Check hours before you call. Kaiser's endocrinology department, for example, is closed weekends and holidays.
| Clinic | Phone | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Mason endocrinology | 206-223-6620 | Virginia Mason key phone numbers page |
| Swedish First Hill endocrinology | (206) 215-2440 | Swedish endocrinology physician profile page |
| Seattle Children's endocrinology | 206-987-2640 | Call once a referral is in place |
UW Medicine and Kaiser numbers aren't listed because we couldn't source them from an official page. Use the contact details on UW Medicine's endocrinology page and Kaiser's own member resources.
Questions to ask when you book
- Which location and building will I go to, and where do I check in?
- What should I bring or send ahead: lab results, reports, device data, a medication list?
- Is there paperwork I can complete before the visit?
- Who will I be seeing, and what is their full name?
- What is the cancellation policy?
Once you have the clinician's full name, our license check guide shows how to confirm their Washington credential.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral to see an endocrinologist in Seattle?
It depends on the clinic and your insurance. Seattle Children's requires a referral from a child's primary care doctor or another specialist. For adult care, check with your primary care clinician and your insurer's member services.
How do I book Seattle Children's endocrinology?
Get a referral from your child's primary care doctor or another specialist, then call 206-987-2640.
Where is Kaiser Permanente Washington endocrinology in Seattle?
Kaiser lists its Diabetes & Endocrinology department at the Capitol Hill South Building, 125 16th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112. It's closed weekends and holidays.
Why is it hard to get through on the phone?
We can only report what clinics publish. Virginia Mason's endocrinology services page warns of high call volumes and long phone waits. Having your details ready makes a long call more productive.
How do I find an endocrinologist accepting new patients?
Ask your referring clinician where the referral is going, then ask that clinic directly. Your insurer's member services can tell you which endocrinologists are in network for your plan.
Does this guide cover Medicaid or marketplace plans?
Not yet. We're verifying those rules against official state sources before publishing them. For now, your plan's member services is the best source.
Sources
- Endocrinology clinic — Seattle Children's
- Endocrinology contact and locations — Seattle Children's
- Seattle Children's Sand Point Clinic — Facebook
- Medicare Advantage Group Plan provider directory, Washington — Kaiser Permanente
- Endocrinology services — Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
- Key phone numbers, Virginia Mason Medical Center — Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
- Endocrinology physician profile (phone number source) — Swedish
- Diabetes & Endocrinology — UW Medicine
- UW Medicine Endocrinology/Diabetes Clinic at Harborview map listing — Waze