Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has plans to close its Atlanta-based Egleston Hospital and transition patients and services to its new $1.5 billion Arthur M. Blank Hospital, also in Atlanta, on Sept. 29.
Egleston Hospital's emergency department will close at 7 a.m. on Sept. 29 with the new hospital's 24/7, Level 1 pediatric trauma center ED opening up to patients at 7 a.m. the same day. A total of around 340 patients are expected to be transported using 56 ambulances and Children's Healthcare's ground and air transport, according to an Aug. 6 news release.
The new 19-story, 2 million-square-foot Arthur M. Blank Hospital comprises 446 beds, 116 more than Egleston Hospital. Along with larger private rooms, the hospital also features 20 acres of green space for physical and mental well-being.
Children's Healthcare clinical teams have been preparing for the move for two years, conducting multiple dress rehearsals and simulations at the hospitals to help the transition go smoothly.
"During these rehearsals, 1,200 participants from teams including clinical ambassadors, department leaders, hospital planning, information systems and technology, facilities services and more, ran through various scenarios to test and refine workflows for move day," the release said. "Child life specialists, hospital chaplains and interpretive services, along with an approximate 1,000 support staff volunteers, will be onsite at the hospitals to assist with patient family needs."
Arthur M. Blank is expected to add up to 4,500 employees to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's North Druid Hills Campus, which will eventually have more than 8,000 total employees on campus. Many Egleston Hospital employees will transition to the new facility, with around 1,000 employees moving to newly created roles.