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Supreme Court enters battle over suburban Chicago hospital

CHICAGO (AP) - The Illinois Supreme Court has stepped into a battle over the fate of a suburban Chicago hospital.

Early Thursday, the Illinois Appellate Court reversed a lower court ruling barring the closing of Westlake Hospital. The appeals court ruled the village of Melrose Park had no grounds to request a temporary restraining order against hospital owner Pipeline Health.

On Thursday evening, the Supreme Court stayed that order, leaving the temporary restraining order in place. The Supreme Court qualified its ruling, saying Melrose Park must move to appeal the lower court's ruling by Friday afternoon.

Earlier this week, Cook County Circuit Judge Moshe Jacobius said Pipeline Health must restore services at the 225-bed hospital by Thursday or be fined $200,000 a day.

Pipeline Health said staffing issues caused it to suspend services.

The state Health Facilities and Review Board is scheduled later this month to consider Pipeline's application to close the hospital.

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