The doors at the new state-of-the-art Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas opened to patients Thursday morning.
Parkland said Monday the Rees-Jones Trauma Center, Emergency Department, Urgent Care Emergency Department and Labor & Delivery services in the new Parkland Memorial Hospital began accepting patients at the new building at 6 a.m.
At the same time, the old hospital stopped receiving new emergency patients.
Dozens of patients have already been transferred from the old hospital to the new $1 billion facility across the street. More than 600 more patients will cross the sky bridge during the next few days.
"It's very exciting to be a part of something so historical, and to experience this with our patients and families," Labor & Delivery Unit supervisor Angie Buckmeier said. "It's been a very busy day, but it's also such an exciting day."
To ensure the process goes smoothly, hospital staffers practiced the move for nearly six months and even completed a mock move with volunteers acting as patients.
"Parkland stands ready during this transition to our new facility, as always, to provide vital emergency and trauma services to every patient entrusted to our care," said Alexander Eastman, MD, Medical Director and Chief of the Rees-Jones Trauma Center at Parkland and Assistant Professor of Surgery at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
In a news release Monday, hospital officials said other departments in the hospital will start operations at the new 2.1-million square-foot facility over a three-day period including the intensive care units, regional burn center and operating suites.
"Transition of all inpatient services to the new facility will be completed by end of day on Saturday, Aug. 22," hospital officials said in the news release.
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Dallas County residents in need of non-emergency medical care are encouraged to go to one of 12 community-oriented primary care facilities rather than the hospital during the transition. A list of those clinics can be found here.
"We have been preparing for this move for well over a year and have challenged ourselves to plan for every possible scenario that could potentially arise," said Kris Gaw, Parkland's Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer - Hospital Operations. "The health and safety of each of our patients is paramount, which is why we have gone to great lengths to ensure that they are moved safely to the new hospital."
The new Parkland, which includes 862 private patient rooms, is located across the street from the current facility at 5200 Harry Hines Boulevard.
NBC 5's Jeff Smith contributed to this report.
