Henry Ford is considering building a 300-bed hospital at its West Bloomfield Township clinic and St. John is now authorized to build a 200-bed hospital at its clinic in Novi. Shortly after the two health systems won initial state approval to build the hospital, several other local hospitals filed suit, saying the new hospitals were not needed and would dilute the patient base for existing hospitals, further driving up health care costs. Suits were filed against the two health systems in 2003 by Botsford General Hospital, Trinity Health-Michigan, Beaumont Hospital, Covenant Medical Center and Mount Clemens General Hospital. General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler AG and the UAW also joined the suit, which had also listed the state as a defendant for awarding the initial approvals.

The appeals court said those who sought to block the hospitals have no standing to sue. But an appeal is planned, says Stephen Afendoulis, alawyer representing the challengers. "If voters and hospitals with a great deal at stake don't have standing, who does?" Stephen Afendoulis asked.

Henry Ford chief operating officer Robert Riney says area residents need and want his company's hospital. He said it plans to break ground in May and open the hospital in 2008. St. John said it plans to start construction in August and begin full operations in 2008.