Boston-based Tufts Medical Center and Boston Medical Center plan to create a joint cardiac surgery program, according to The Boston Globe.
The partnership will enable cardiac surgeons from both hospitals to admit and operate on patients at both locations, which are about one mile apart.
The decision follows the systems' decision to break off merger talks in May.
Tufts and BMC hope to compete with other Boston hospitals, including Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General. Together, Tufts and BMC complete around 900 surgeries per year. Brigham does 1,500 while Massachusetts General does 1,200.
In total, Tufts and BMC have about six cardiac surgeons.
The program is scheduled to begin Jan. 1.