The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Health Alliance has won a round in a legal battle with city leaders and taxpayer groups over the privatization of University Hospital. The Ohio 1st District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the University of Cincinnati and Health Alliance by dismissing an appeal by taxpayer groups and the city of Cincinnati, the Health Alliance said Tuesday. At least three lawsuits were filed to stop the privatization, and several claims from those lawsuits still remain.
"We are pleased that the appeals court agrees that an appeal of the earlier court decision is unwarranted," said Phillip Tempel, Health Alliance executive vice president.
The appeal was filed after a December 1996 determination that the city charter did not prohibit the reorganization of the hospital. The remaining claims are still in the discovery stage, and no trial date has been set, Health Alliance officials said.
The hospital group said resolution of all the issues and any possible appeal will take several years.
