A judge denied the District of Columbia attorney general's office's request for a temporary restraining order to stop Washington, D.C.-based Providence Health System from shuttering most of its services, The Washington Post reports.
The health system began scaling back operations the week of Dec. 9. It primarily serves the city's underrepresented and low-income populations.
The attorney general's office filed a lawsuit against St. Louis-based Ascension, which owns Providence Health System, on Dec. 14, claiming it failed to secure approval from regulators for its closure plans and its move to shutter most of its services violates the terms of its operating license.
The attorney general's office filed the lawsuit after the closures started, citing recently passed legislation that outlines the city's ability to challenge hospital closures.
Although the judge denied the city's request for a temporary restraining order, the lawsuit is pending.
The hospital said it needed to close due to financial struggles and local residents have sufficient options for acute care at other facilities.