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The new 206-bed Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital officially opened today at 5 a.m. Patients are settling into the new 14-story building dedicated to infants, children and adolescents. Eighty-one patients were moved from the former children’s hospital in the center tower of Butterworth Hospital at the Spectrum Health Medical Center.

“Today is a great day for everyone involved,” said Bob Connors, MD, president, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.”  I am extremely proud of this wonderful new hospital. It was very gratifying to see our team, the children and their families working together to make today’s move safe and successful. It’s really fun to see the kids in this amazing new place built just for them.”

A 28-member core team spent one year planning for move day. Three guiding principles created the foundation for a successful move:

• Create the safest possible plan and environment for the patient move.
• Maintain quality and seamless care for each individual patient throughout the move.
• Create an exceptional experience for patients, families and employees on the day of the move.

The day started with transitioning key support services such as pharmacy and respiratory to the new building. Critical care patients were moved next, followed by inpatient units. Children received a special blanket, a certificate signifying their special status as one of the new hospital’s first patients, and a commemorative book honoring Helen DeVos titled “What Makes You Happy”.

The new hospital has dramatically changed the skyline on Michigan Street’s “Medical Mile” in Grand Rapids and is designed to transform health care for children. Supported by nearly $103 million in generous community support, special features of the new $286 million hospital include:

• A child-friendly atmosphere designed to make kids feel comfortable and safe
• A healing environment celebrating the region’s natural beauty of water, land, sky and sun
• An outdoor garden accessible from the main lobby
• Spacious, private inpatient rooms where parents may stay overnight
• An expanded neonatal center with 40 private rooms
• A 24-bed pediatric critical care unit for critically ill and injured children
• A dedicated pediatric emergency department, and operating and recovery rooms just for children
• A pediatric heart catheterization laboratory and pediatric radiology department with the latest diagnostic imaging technology
• Room to play and entertainment to foster healing and hope
• Quiet spaces and a chapel for all faiths

Parking for the new children’s hospital is available at 35 Michigan St. in Ramp 3. Patients and families using the emergency department have access to complimentary valet parking off Bostwick Avenue.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, a member of Spectrum Health, is a Grand Rapids-based hospital serving children throughout Michigan. A teaching hospital, it includes more than 150 pediatric physicians with training in providing medical and surgical care to children in more than 40 pediatric specialties. Visit helenevoschildrens.org to learn more.