New Le Bonheur children’s hospital opens

MEMPHIS — Doctors and nurses at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital on Saturday started moving patients into a new facility that promises to bring technologically advanced medical care to children in the mid-South region.

Le Bonheur officials plan to move 181 patients from the existing hospital to their new facility over the next few days. More than 80 patients were being transported in their hospital beds Saturday, with nurses, doctors and staff accompanying each patient.

The 255-bed, $340 million hospital in Memphis is geared to care for the more than 130,000 sick and injured children who come from within a 250-mile radius each year.

Le Bonheur celebrated the construction of the new building in June. The expansion is expected to enhance Memphis’ status as a center for child medical care. The widely respected St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is nearby.

A 60-bed emergency department that can handle major trauma cases opened Friday and saw more than 70 patients.