Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta announced today major developments in its strategy for expanding to serve more children. The not-for-profit organization’s plans include a new pediatric hospital at its campus at North Druid Hills Road.

“As the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, we need to ensure that we are able to serve the children in our state,” said Donna Hyland, President and CEO, Children’s. “To meet growing demand, we must find more ways to provide access to those who need Children’s unique specialized care by improving and expanding our facilities.”

Based on studies of future demand and facility capacity, Children’s determined a new campus at the northeastern corner of North Druid Hills Road and I-85 – along with sustained growth of other facilities and programs – provides the ability to meet forecasted patient care and space needs through 2026 and projected demand to 2036 and beyond.

“The health of Georgia’s children has consistently been one of my top priorities,” said Governor Nathan Deal. “Children’s Healthcare provides vital care for children from across the state, and its plans for a new hospital and continued statewide growth will help ensure that Georgia’s kids have a healthy future.”

Jonathan Goldman, Chairman of the Children’s Board of Trustees, said the decision was the result of careful planning and a long-term perspective.

“After analyzing numerous options, we determined building a new pediatric healthcare campus is the best way to effectively serve our community’s expanding needs,” said Goldman. “This furthers our mission to provide access to the best possible care for generations to come and strengthens our commitment to patients, families, physicians and community members.”

In addition to the North Druid Hills Campus, Children’s is investing in its facilities across its system as a part of its “Every Child Deserves Children’s” strategic plan to expand access. Additional 2017 initiatives include:

• Opening of 46 new licensed beds and 14 observation beds at Scottish Rite hospital in 2017

• Expansion of the emergency department at Hughes Spalding hospital by summer 2017

• Planning for additional beds at Egleston to meet demand until the new hospital opens

• Construction of the Center for Advanced Pediatrics, a 260,000-square-foot facility that will put complex care specialists, state-of-the-art technology and leading-edge research for outpatient care under one roof

• Construction of an outpatient facility at Town Center

• Addition of a new urgent care center in Hamilton Creek in 2017

• Expansion of specialty services and urgent care at Hudson Bridge

• Expansion of specialty services in Cherokee

• Construction of a new urgent care center in the Chamblee/Brookhaven area

“As careful stewards of resources, we are building responsibly and thinking boldly as we determine the best ways to deliver specialized care for kids and teens, as only Children’s can,” said Hyland. “We intend to plan and grow deliberately in a way that best serves Georgia.”

After construction of the new hospital at North Druid Hills is complete, Children’s will no longer operate an inpatient facility at Egleston. Future plans for the use of the Egleston campus have not been determined. Children’s Scottish Rite and Hughes Spalding hospitals will continue to grow to meet the needs of families and children.

In addition to the new hospital, the North Druid Hills Campus will be home to the Center for Advanced Pediatrics, which broke ground last month. The site currently houses a single story office complex occupied by Children’s. Children’s currently owns more than 45 acres at the site.

Today’s announcement is the kickoff to the public phase of the planning process.  Children’s has engaged top architects and land planners and anticipates significant planning and permitting work through the remainder of 2017 as it works through various regulatory processes. Specific transportation, site and building plans for the North Druid Hills Campus will be developed over the next 18 months. Children’s total investment in the new hospital will likely be in the range of $1 billion to $1.3 billion.