Mercyhealth will appeal a June 1 court decision forcing it to halt plans to build a $79 million micro-hospital in Crystal Lake, Ill., according to The Northwest Herald.
Here are five things to know:
1. McHenry County Judge Thomas Meyer ruled June 1 that the proposed 13-bed facility failed to meet state criteria, ending a nearly yearlong battle between Crystal Lake-based Centegra Health System, Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health and the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
2. Centegra and Advocate, which both have medical facilities in Crystal Lake, filed a lawsuit against the Illinois Review Board in July 2017, claiming the board failed to follow state requirements when it approved the facility to have just 13 beds. State criteria required the facility to have at least 100 beds.
3. The lawsuit called for the reversal of the board's approval and asked a judge to revoke Rockford, Ill.-based Mercyhealth's construction permit.
4. Mr. Meyer ruled June 1 in favor of Centegra and Advocate, claiming the facility failed to meet state criteria.
"The difficulty for this court is not the fact that the project failed to meet one or more of the applicable review criteria but rather that it completely disregarded it," Meyer wrote in his decision, according to the Northwest Herald. "It is clear that a 13-bed hospital is not close to meeting the requirement of such a facility containing 100 beds."
5. Mercyhealth President and CEO Javon Bea said he isn't giving up and plans to appeal the June 1 decision.
"We believe the court’s decision is not representative of a proper understanding of the facts and law, and we will be appealing the decision," he told The Northwest Herald. "Over 4,500 residents of Crystal Lake signed a petition in support of the Mercyhealth Crystal Lake hospital, and we received overwhelming support from business and community leaders."