Court docket permits Franciscan Well being to shut ER in Hammond

HAMMOND, Ind. (CBS) — The Indiana Court docket of Appeals on Friday overturned a decrease court docket order and gave the inexperienced mild for the hospital to shut.

The hospital had deliberate to shut on the finish of the yr Saturday and can now accomplish that. In an announcement, the hospital mentioned:

“Franciscan Alliance is grateful for the Court docket of Appeals order. As such, Franciscan will proceed with ceasing operations and shutting the emergency division as of Dec. 31, 2022. As most ambulances have already stopped bringing sufferers to Franciscan Well being Hammond, we don’t count on that closing the Emergency Division will trigger disruption in emergency medical take care of residents. As we identified to the Court docket of Appeals, many Hammond neighborhoods are nearer to different hospitals throughout the area than they had been to Franciscan Well being Hammond.

“We imagine this choice prioritizes affected person security, which has been our major concern all through the authorized proceedings.”

Franciscan Well being had announced in November that it deliberate to finish in-patient companies and its emergency division, efficient Saturday, Dec. 31.

The Metropolis of Hammond filed a lawsuit, stating that the hospital had mentioned final yr that it deliberate to downsize – however hold its emergency division open. The hospital on the time additionally mentioned it deliberate to take care of a restricted variety of hospital beds for brief stays, in addition to imaging and lab companies wound care, dialysis, prenatal care, and first care.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. mentioned as a result of Franciscan Well being didn’t plan to shut its emergency division, town didn’t take motion to seek out various choices for emergency companies, court docket paperwork mentioned.

However 18 months later – with no communication within the intervening interval – the hospital mentioned it was closing its emergency division in spite of everything, court docket paperwork mentioned. The mayor known as this an “absolute betrayal,” and mentioned it might harm well being care protection in Northwest Indiana and close by elements of Illinois.

Lake County, Indiana Superior Court docket Choose Bruce Mother or father and issued an injunction per week in the past forbidding the hospital from closing. On Wednesday, the hospital requested the court docket to rethink an earlier ruling that they keep open one other 9 months.

On Thursday, Choose Mother or father rejected the hospital’s movement for a keep on the injunction – insisting that it can not function safely and should shut. The decide known as the hospital’s declare “untestable, largely unprovable, and definitely not confirmed right here.”

The appeals court docket ruling overturned that call.

Franciscan has already begun work to demolish the hospital.