Mercy Health Center, a Division of Sisters of Mercy Health Corp. v. State Health Facilities Council

HARRIS, Justice.

This case turns on the cardinal rule of administrative law: judgment calls are the province of the administrative tribunal and not of the courts. There is obviously much to be said for the plan proposed by the petitioner but it must be sold to the administrative agency. We reverse a district court decision which overturned the administrative determination.

Petitioner Mercy Health Center (Mercy) is a non-profit health care organization which owns two facilities in Dubuque, St. Joseph’s and Xavier. The two hospitals were formerly separately owned and each functioned as an…