The 130-bed hospital is asking for a new “environmental review” the would examine the economic impact of the new facility on JFK Memorial and thus on the community.
The hospital also filed for a temporary restraining order against the project until the review could be completed.
JFK Memorial officials have said the 12-bed specialty hospital would divert paying patients from their hospital, forcing it to reduce services, including the ED, which could have a significant impact on the local community.
Officials at Joint Replacement Hospitals of America, planners of the new hospital, say the facility would contribute to the city’s tax base, and they cite studies finding that general hospitals remain relatively unaffected when specialty hospitals open nearby.
Read the Desert Sun’s report on proposed joint replacement hospital.
