For Madeline Bell, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the new King of Prussia hospital that opened in late January presented an opportunity for children in the western suburbs and beyond, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

“For us, it has been a story of ‘if you build it, they will come,’” said Bell. “The first day the hospital was opened, there was a child who went to their primary care pediatrician with belly pain then came to our emergency room in King of Prussia, got diagnosed with appendicitis, was able to have surgery in the hospital and go home that same day.”

That along with many similar examples are making the satellite hospital a great success.

Adding a King of Prussia location – costing $289 million – was the next step for CHOP.

“We already had a flag in the ground there with our Specialty Care Center and it has been very successful,” said Bell. The new hospital’s success also paves the way for future CHOP outposts.

“I think our King of Prussia hospital is a great proof of concept for us, proving that a satellite hospital would work,” said Bell.

Read the entire interview with Madeline Bell, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in the Philadelphia Business Journal.