Here are seven things to know about the lawsuit.
1. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Prince George’s Circuit Court against the hospitals private operator, Cheverly, Md.-based Dimensions Healthcare System, who planned to fully close the hospital and replace it with an ambulatory services center by 2018.
2. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, two Laurel residents and the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, are seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the planned closure of the hospital, as well as a preliminary and permanent injunction from cutting licensed beds or services at the facility, according to the report.
3. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs contend Laurel Regional Hospital’s board cannot solely decide to cut beds or services at the hospital, and they said the hospital’s closure would cause them irreparable harm.
4. Union Vice President Jennifer Epps told The Baltimore Sun the decision to file the lawsuit was reached after “countless times of trying to reach out” to Dimensions.
5. As of Oct. 15, Dimensions had not yet received the lawsuit and had not commented in detail.
6. The lawsuit comes about three months after Dimensions announced it decided to close Laurel Regional Hospital and replace it with an ambulatory services center due to declines in inpatient volume.
7. The maternal and child health unit at the hospital has already closed, eliminating five beds, according to The Baltimore Sun. Dimensions plans to eliminate 11 medical/surgical beds Nov. 7.
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