The new $1 billion Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center was opened for patients with approximately 450 patients expected to move in two days, a hospital spokeswoman said. The old facility was destroyed in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and construction delays and scheduling difficulties delayed the proposed move for months.

The hospital referred to as "old General" was one of the countries busiest, and on Friday it saw department after department closing down and patient’s shifting into the new center. The old building which dominated East Los Angeles’ landscape since the early 1930’s, visible from many parts of the city, will now house a few offices. Made famous by its exterior being used on the soap opera "General Hospital," the building at full capacity could house more than 2,000 beds.

The new Inpatient Tower 600 beds and 130 emergency room bays are located next door and patients will be either carted over in wheelchairs or driven over in ambulances, depending on their condition, the spokeswoman said. Riverside-based U.S. Air Force reservists and U.S. Navy trauma personnel were assisting hospital personnel with the move.

Pete Delgado, CEO of the LAC+USC Healthcare Network said, "Patient safety is the number one priority during the move days. The focus of the inpatient move is simply to coordinate the movement and flow of all inpatients. The preparation and exhaustive training of everyone involved will make this happen."

The old hospital was placed on "internal disaster" mode. This means ambulances will be diverted to other hospitals in the area, likely lengthening wait times for incoming patients with non-urgent illnesses throughout the region.

Ground was broken on the new facility in 2003 it cost $820 million to construct and $200 million to furnish and it will operate at full capacity almost immediately. Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina said, "Any significant increase in patient population could overwhelm our capacity to unsafe levels."

Hospital CEO Pete Delgado said, the day was emotional for some employees who had worked in the building for decades, some would miss the old building, but "once you step into the new high tech trauma room in the new ER, you forget about old General pretty quickly."