Suit Seeks to Block Changes to Bellevue Hospital

A community group that helped craft an agreement to merge Suburban General Hospital with the West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) is now suing to stop that system from converting the Bellevue hospital into an outpatient facility. The Suburban General Hospital Advisory Board says the 1994 agreement requires West Penn Allegheny to maintain the hospital as a full service entity. So, they've asked an Allegheny County judge to block the plan by WPAHS to close the Suburban General emergency room and stop admitting patients later this month. WPAHS still plans to offer some outpatient services and replace the emergency room with an urgent care center.