Stavanger University Hospital completed one of Norway's largest healthcare relocations as 190 patients moved from the old Våland facility to the new Ullandhaug complex. The meticulously planned operation began at 5 AM Sunday with 1,500 staff members coordinating the transfer across four kilometers.
Hospital director Helle Schøyen described the day as historic for Norway, Rogaland county, and the healthcare system. The new facility represents one of the region's most substantial infrastructure projects in recent decades. Medical teams, ambulance personnel, and logistics experts worked in precise three-minute intervals to transport patients safely.
The move generated an immediate milestone when baby Laia became the first child born at the new hospital at 6:12 AM. Parents Hannah Lennox and Guillem Cheung had initially gone to the old facility overnight but drove themselves to the new hospital when it opened. They expressed surprise at becoming part of hospital history.
Canadian relocation specialists from Health Care Relocation brought extensive experience from nearly 600 hospital moves worldwide. Project leader Gunnar Teis Hansen noted the Stavanger operation presented unique geographical challenges. The distance to backup facilities required careful contingency planning throughout the months-long preparation.
Patient Tone Anita Tengs, who spent four months at the old hospital, expressed excitement about participating in the transition. By 8:15 AM, hospital management reported the operation was ahead of schedule with 67 patients already transferred. Communications director Helga Strand Vestbø confirmed the entire move would conclude by 2 PM Sunday.
The relocation required 55 ambulances sourced from multiple providers including other hospitals, the Red Cross, and volunteer transport services. Ambulance worker Sanna Tjåland Barstad described the team as eager and prepared as they collected their first patient shortly before 7 AM.
This hospital transfer exceeds the scale of Drammen's recent move by more than double. Hospital administrators reduced patient numbers from the typical 450 to approximately 190 through careful planning in the preceding week. The old Våland facility will continue housing outpatient clinics and mental health services during a transitional period that concerns staff representatives about divided operations.
Norwegian healthcare infrastructure continues evolving with this major investment serving Rogaland's growing population. The new Stavanger University Hospital represents substantial progress for regional medical capabilities, though the phased completion means full consolidation at Ullandhaug remains years away.