Children's Healthcare of Atlanta in Georgia, US, has transferred 202 patients from Egleston Hospital to the newly opened Arthur M Blank Hospital.

The patients were transferred in less than 12 hours, making it one of the largest single-day paediatric hospital relocations in US history.

Egleston Hospital's Emergency Department was permanently closed following the relocation, with all clinical services now operating from the Arthur M Blank Hospital.

The transition began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 27 September, followed by the official move on 29 September.

The patient move involved 65 ambulances and received support from more than 15 state and local agencies, including Georgia State Patrol and the police departments of Brookhaven, DeKalb County, Emory and Sandy Springs.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta CEO Donna Hyland said: “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.

“We needed a paediatric 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.”

Consisting of 19 storeys and covering two million square feet, the 446-bed Arthur M Blank Hospital is offering advanced paediatric care throughout Georgia and the US' wider South-East region.

The hospital features larger private rooms, family lounges and 20 acres of green space to support mental and physical wellbeing.

The Arthur M Blank Emergency Department is understood to be Georgia's only dedicated Level I paediatric trauma centre and will operate 24 hours a day.

Its opening is expected to attract up to 4,500 additional workers to the North Druid Hills campus.

Many Egleston Hospital employees will be transferred to the new facility, while nearly 1,000 new roles have been created at the hospital.