ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Belmont Savings Bank was granted an injunction and temporary restraining order in Belmont County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday against East Ohio Regional Hospital, halting the hospital’s ability to dispose, liquidate or dissipate any of the hospital’s accounts receivable.

The injunction and order were signed by Belmont County Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Berhalter Wednesday afternoon against EORH parent company 360 Healthcare Inc. and its president, Harold Ramsey.

Belmont Savings Bank last week filed a motion asking the court to appoint an independent receiver to oversee EORH’s assets. The hospital has not paid back two $1 million short-term loans the bank gave it in 2024 to cover payroll and other essential operating costs.

“The concern is that there are assets that are going to be depleted and not for the benefit of existing creditors,” said David Croft, attorney at Spilman Thomas & Battle, which is representing Belmont Savings Bank in the case.

In the motion filed Wednesday, Belmont Savings Bank alleges that East Ohio Regional has directed those paying it to deposit the money into a Huntington Bank account and that, despite the hospital being closed, money has been transferred out of that account.

“Since the hospital closed its doors, they’re no longer operating, so they’re no longer generating any new revenue,” Spilman attorney Eric Gadd said. “So what is out there to be collected is all that there is for them and for all the creditors to look to toward payment of any of their debts.”

Belmont Savings Bank also alleges that EORH and its counsel have stopped communicating with the bank and its counsel and refused to provide an accounting of its accounts receivable since March 31.

“We as a creditor are taking the lead for all secured and unsecured creditors to preserve the (hospital’s) assets that remain in that state or in that entity, and the primary liquid asset is the receivables,” Croft said. “If we don’t do this, then the chances of Belmont Savings Bank collecting on the two delinquent notes … they’re not going to get collected.”

According to court documents, EORH, 360 Healthcare Inc., Ramsey and any party acting on their behalf cannot liquidate, dissipate or dispose of any accounts receivable from the hospital until at least 1:30 p.m. Sept. 29, when both sides will appear in court on the matter.

Ramsey could not be reached for comment Wednesday on the temporary restraining order. He said last week after the bank’s request for a court-appointed receiver that his company has “made extensive efforts” to work with the bank and that it plans to present the progress it has made since it purchased the hospital. He also said it was the company’s intention “to satisfy all debts owed to Belmont County, past vendors and to former employees soon after operations are reestablished in Martins Ferry.”

Ramsey and 360 Healthcare Inc. bought the hospital in June after its doors closed in March under former owner Dr. John Johnson.