Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta moves patients to new Arthur M. Blank Hospital
ATLANTA – Sunday marked a significant milestone for pediatric healthcare in metro Atlanta as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta moved 202 patients from its Egleston campus to the newly opened Arthur M. Blank Hospital. The state-of-the-art facility, located off I-85 at North Druid Hills Road, had been in the works for more than four years and officially opened its doors on Sunday.
Construction on the 19-story building, which spans 70 acres, began in February 2020 after the implosion of an old hotel that previously occupied the site. The hospital, which will serve the region’s youngest and most vulnerable patients, was made possible by the largest donation in the hospital’s history—$200 million from its namesake, Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons.
“This hospital is ten times bigger than the Egleston campus, and we desperately needed more capacity,” said a Children’s Healthcare representative. “There were many days in the past where we had no available beds, but now the new hospital has 446 beds, 116 more than the Egleston campus.”
RELATED STORIES
The move, which was completed by around 7 p.m., involved 65 ambulances and even a helicopter to safely transfer patients from the old facility to the new one.
With the massive transfer effort, authorities warned drivers in the area to expect delays, particularly on Uppergate Drive, Starvine Way, Clairmont Road, and the I-85 frontage road. Commuters were advised to take alternate routes to avoid traffic congestion.
Fortunately, weather conditions did not impact the transfer, making for a smoother process as Atlanta’s tiniest patients settled into their new home at the Arthur M. Blank Hospital.
Eight-year-old Brithany Morales was the first patient to be moved into a room.
The new hospital is equipped with the latest medical technology, ensuring that it can provide cutting-edge care to Metro Atlanta’s youngest residents.
link