BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — Children's Healthcare of Atlanta made history on Sunday when it underwent one of the largest single-day pediatric hospital moves in the country, the healthcare system said.
In less than 12 hours, they moved 202 patients from Egleston Hospital to the new Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital. The Egleston Emergency Department is now closed, and all clinical services have been moved to Arthur M. Blank Hospital, according to a release. This 19-story, 2-million-square-foot facility with 446 beds will expand Children's ability to provide advanced pediatric care to children across the state.
The first patient to be admitted to the hospital was 8-year-old Brithany Morales, who is awaiting a kidney transplant, the release said.
The patients were moved using 65 ambulances, with the help of more than 15 state and local agencies, including the Georgia State Patrol, Brookhaven Police, DeKalb County Police, Emory Police and Sandy Springs Police. Religious organizations along the route also held virtual services throughout the weekend to help ensure the safe transport of all patients.
In addition, child life specialists, hospital chaplains and interpretive services as well as around 1,000 support staff volunteers, were on-site at the hospital to assist with any needs and ensure a smooth transition.
The hospital is named after Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank. There was a private ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday so it could take place on his birthday. It included special guests and family of Blank and Children's Honorary Construction Managers, who have been the face of the four-year construction project, a release said.
The Arthur M. Blank Emergency Department will operate 24/7 to provide the highest quality trauma care. It is the only dedicated Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, according to a release. The hospital will also have the Marcus Center for Cellular Therapy, which is a good manufacturing practices (GMP) lab. This will help the healthcare system to manufacture cells for cutting-edge treatments and therapies in-house -- a game-changer for patients who've had to wait for cells to be delivered from other pediatric centers. The hospital will be one of the only pediatric hospitals in the country to have a GMP lab that supports cell therapy outside of just cancer.
The hospital offers larger, private rooms, washers and dryers, family lounges and kitchenettes on every floor and 20 acres of green space easily accessible and visible, a release said.
Chief Executive Officer at Children's, Donna Hyland, said that the community led by Arthur Blank and the Board of Trustees didn't shy away evening when the going went tough to build the hospital.
"The opening of Arthur M. Blank Hospital is a giant leap forward for Georgia's kids, offering a beacon of hope for patients and their families," Hyland said. "We needed a pediatric healthcare campus that could give every child in Georgia access to the care they deserve. It wasn't easy, and the asks were big. But this community, led by Arthur Blank and our Board of Trustees, didn't shy away."
The hospital is expected to bring up to 4,500 additional workers to the North Druid Hills campus, which employs more than 8,000 people. Many of these employees will transfer from Egleston Hospital. However, around 1,000 of these workers will fill newly-created positions. Arthur M. Blank Hospital is located at the intersection of North Druid Hills Road and Interstate 85 in Brookhaven.
