The New Children’s Hospital in Atlanta: What Local Families Need to Know

Atlanta’s new pediatric hospital is one of the biggest healthcare changes the city has seen in years. If you live in metro Atlanta, have kids, or visit the city often, understanding what the new Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital is, where it is, and how it affects care can make planning for your family’s health much easier.

Below is a practical, locally focused guide to the Arthur M. Blank Hospital, the new flagship children’s hospital in Atlanta.

What Is the New Children’s Hospital in Atlanta?

The Arthur M. Blank Hospital is the new, state-of-the-art pediatric hospital being opened by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA).

It is designed to be:

• A central hub for complex pediatric care in Atlanta
• A replacement and consolidation of some services currently spread across existing CHOA hospital campuses
• A long-term, purpose-built facility focused exclusively on infants, children, and teens

For parents in Atlanta, this means:

• More pediatric specialties located in one major campus
• A hospital intentionally built for kids and teens, not adapted from an adult facility
• An anchor for children’s healthcare in the Northeast Atlanta / Brookhaven / North Druid Hills area

Where Is the New Children’s Hospital Located?

The new Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta flagship hospital is located at:

Arthur M. Blank Hospital
North Druid Hills Campus
North Druid Hills Rd NE & I‑85 area
Atlanta, GA 30329

This large medical campus sits:

• Just off Interstate 85 near the North Druid Hills Road interchange
• North of downtown Atlanta and Midtown
• Convenient to Brookhaven, Decatur, Tucker, and northeast DeKalb suburbs

While the exact building addresses within the campus can vary by clinic or pavilion, families generally navigate to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta North Druid Hills campus and then follow on-site signs to the appropriate hospital entrance, emergency department, or clinic.

👉 Tip: If you’re using GPS, searching for “Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta North Druid Hills” or “Arthur M. Blank Hospital” usually pulls up the main campus routing.

How the New Hospital Fits Into Atlanta’s Pediatric Care System

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta already operates:

• CHOA – Egleston Hospital (at Emory University, near Decatur)
• CHOA – Scottish Rite Hospital (near Sandy Springs, close to GA‑400 and I‑285)
• CHOA – Hughes Spalding Hospital (downtown Atlanta, on the Grady Health campus)

The new Arthur M. Blank Hospital is intended to become the primary, flagship pediatric hospital, gradually shifting some inpatient and specialty services from older facilities.

For Atlanta families, this typically means:

• More advanced care at the North Druid Hills campus (especially for complex conditions, surgeries, and intensive care)
• Continued access to CHOA emergency and specialty care across multiple sites during and after the transition
• Some children’s services and clinics possibly relocating from older campuses to the new hospital over time

If your child already sees a CHOA provider, their office or hospital team is usually the best source of up-to-date info on which campus you’ll be using going forward.

Key Services the New Children’s Hospital Is Expected to Offer

While service lines can evolve, the new Arthur M. Blank Hospital is designed to support many of the major pediatric specialties Atlanta families rely on, including:

• Emergency care for children and teens
• Pediatric intensive care and critical care units
• Neonatal intensive care (NICU) for medically fragile newborns
• Pediatric surgery and subspecialty surgery
• Cardiology and cardiac surgery
• Oncology and hematology (childhood cancers and blood disorders)
• Neurology and neurosurgery
• Orthopedics and sports medicine for kids
• Gastroenterology, pulmonology, endocrinology, and more

The hospital is also built to integrate with outpatient clinics, imaging, labs, and rehabilitation services on or near the same campus, so many families will be able to keep care within one main location.

At-a-Glance: New Children’s Hospital Atlanta (Arthur M. Blank Hospital)

How to Get There: Transportation and Parking Tips

Because the new hospital sits at a major intersection of I‑85 and North Druid Hills Road, it’s designed to be reachable from many parts of metro Atlanta.

Driving from Different Parts of Metro Atlanta

• From Midtown / Downtown Atlanta:
  Take I‑85 North, exit at North Druid Hills Rd, and follow signs to the CHOA campus.

• From Buckhead / Brookhaven:
  Use local routes (Peachtree Rd, Briarcliff Rd, or North Druid Hills Rd) or access I‑85 as directed by navigation.

• From Decatur:
  Use North Decatur Rd, Clairmont Rd, or Briarcliff Rd to connect to North Druid Hills Rd, or approach via I‑85.

• From the northern suburbs (Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Norcross):
  Take I‑285 to I‑85 South or use local routes to North Druid Hills Rd.

MARTA and Transit

Public transit access can be especially important for families without a car or during morning/evening rush hour.

• MARTA rail:
  The closest rail stations are generally Lindbergh Center and Brookhaven/Oglethorpe, though the campus itself isn’t directly on the rail line.

• MARTA bus:
  Bus routes serving North Druid Hills Road or connecting to the North Druid Hills / I‑85 area may provide an option. Families usually check MARTA’s latest bus schedules and route maps before traveling, as routes can change.

If you rely on MARTA, planning your route in advance and allowing extra travel time is wise, especially for morning appointments.

Parking

Large hospital campuses like this typically offer:

• Visitor parking decks and lots near main entrances
• Dedicated emergency department parking areas
• Clearly signed drop-off / pick-up zones

Families coming from other parts of metro Atlanta often build in an extra 15–30 minutes for navigating the campus and parking, especially for the first visit.

When Should You Use the New Children’s Hospital vs. Other Options?

In Atlanta, families have a few typical choices for urgent or emergency pediatric care:

• Pediatrician or urgent care for minor illnesses and injuries
• General hospital emergency departments (adult + children’s care)
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta emergency departments (child-focused)

The new Arthur M. Blank Hospital is built for serious pediatric illnesses and injuries, especially those needing advanced tests, monitoring, or surgery.

You might be directed to the new hospital if:

• Your child’s specialist is based at the North Druid Hills campus
• Your pediatrician or another CHOA campus transfers your child for advanced care
• 911 or emergency responders route you there based on your child’s condition and your location

For immediate medical decisions—such as whether to call 911, go to an emergency department, or call your pediatrician—families should follow medical guidance from a licensed provider or emergency services, not online information alone.

How This Affects Existing CHOA Campuses in Atlanta

As the new hospital opens, some services are expected to shift:

• Certain inpatient units or specialty programs may move from Egleston or Scottish Rite to the North Druid Hills campus.
• Some clinics may change which hospital they admit or refer patients to.
• Over time, the new hospital is intended to be the core pediatric inpatient facility for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

If your child is already seeing a CHOA doctor or therapist, you can:

• Ask at your next appointment whether any locations are changing
• Confirm which hospital your child would go to in an emergency tied to their specific condition
• Make sure your contact information and preferred pharmacy are up to date in the CHOA system, which can help with smoother transfers and communication

Planning a Visit: What Atlanta Parents Can Do in Advance

If you know your child will be seen or admitted at the new Children’s Hospital in Atlanta, a little preparation can make the experience less stressful.

1. Confirm the Exact Location and Entrance

Before you leave home:

• Confirm which campus (North Druid Hills vs. Egleston vs. Scottish Rite vs. Hughes Spalding)
• Confirm which building or department
• Ask whether you should go to the main entrance, specialty clinic entrance, or emergency department

This helps avoid last-minute confusion, especially if you’re not familiar with North Druid Hills or I‑85.

2. Bring Essential Documents

Atlanta families often find it helpful to bring:

• Insurance card and a photo ID
• List of current medications, doses, and times
• Contact information for your child’s pediatrician and key specialists
• Any recent test results or imaging reports you were given

Many local families keep a small folder or digital note with this information ready for urgent visits.

3. Think About Traffic and Timing

Metro Atlanta traffic is unpredictable, especially:

• Weekday mornings (I‑85 northbound and southbound)
• Late afternoons and early evenings
• During major events in Midtown, Downtown, or near Emory/Decatur

Building in extra travel time is often worth it, particularly if you’re heading to scheduled surgery, imaging, or specialist appointments that are difficult to reschedule.

Contacting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

For the most accurate, up-to-date information about the new hospital—such as opening dates, department locations, and specific services—families typically reach out directly to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

You can:

• Call the main CHOA information line (listed on their official materials and website)
• Ask your child’s existing CHOA provider or clinic for details on where care will be provided
• Use CHOA’s central scheduling or nurse advice resources, where available, for guidance on where to go

When you call, have handy:

• Your child’s full name and date of birth
• The reason for your visit (follow-up, new symptoms, ongoing condition, surgery, etc.)
• Any referral information from your pediatrician or another hospital

What This Means for Families in Different Parts of Atlanta

Because Atlanta is spread out, the impact of the new hospital can feel different depending on where you live.

• Intown (Midtown, Decatur, East Atlanta, Virginia-Highland):
  The North Druid Hills campus may become your primary high-level pediatric hospital, especially if you previously used Egleston.

• North side (Brookhaven, Chamblee, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs):
  You may now have two major CHOA sites relatively nearby: Scottish Rite and Arthur M. Blank Hospital. Your child’s specialists will guide you on which one to use.

• South Atlanta and Southside suburbs:
  You may continue to rely on Hughes Spalding or closer community hospitals for some needs, but may be referred to the North Druid Hills flagship for more complex care.

• Outer suburbs and beyond metro Atlanta:
  Many families will travel into the city specifically for advanced care at the new hospital and then work with local pediatricians back home for routine follow-up.

How to Stay Informed as the New Hospital Grows

Because a large hospital opening is a multi-year process, services and clinics can shift locations over time. For families in Atlanta, a few habits help keep things simple:

• Always check your appointment reminder carefully for:

  • Campus name
  • Building/clinic name
  • Floor/suite and parking instructions

• Update your child’s providers if:

  • You move to a different part of metro Atlanta
  • Your phone number or email changes
  • Your insurance changes, which can affect scheduling and referrals

• Ask clarifying questions whenever you’re unsure which location to use. Staff are used to helping families navigate multiple campuses and new facilities.

The new Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital at North Druid Hills is designed to be a long-term cornerstone of pediatric care for the entire region. Understanding where it is, how it fits with other CHOA campuses, and how to plan a visit can help Atlanta families feel more prepared if and when they need it.