Georgia approved Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's certificate-of-need application to replace the 325-bed children's hospital in Atlanta with a larger one containing 446 beds, also located in Atlanta, according to Georgia Health News.
Here are three things to know:
1. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta received the approval in early November after filing the CON in June. No other hospital system opposed the construction. The $1.5 billion project is the largest in Georgia's CON program history.
2. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's CEO Donna Hyland said in a statement to Georgia Health News the hospital is "pleased that the Department [of Community Health] recognized the long-term value of this new hospital for Georgia's current and future generations of children. We remain laser-focused on top-quality patient care and operational excellence at all of our facilities as we plan to start construction on the new hospital in early 2020."
3. To meet growing demand, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta announced plans for its new hospital in November 2017. The proposal includes an advanced pediatrics center, support buildings, over 20 acres of green space, walking trails, a central energy plant, parking decks and funding for nearby road improvements.