Circleville, Ohio, voters approved a measure Tuesday to allow Circleville-based Berger Health System to enter into partnership negotiations with Columbus-based OhioHealth, The Columbus Dispatch reports.
The move required approval by Circleville and Pickaway County residents because the city and county jointly own Berger Health System.
The final, unofficial results of Tuesday's vote indicated the city approved the health system's plan to consider other ownership models by 2,132 to 473 votes.
Berger Health System President and CEO Tim Colburn told The Columbus Dispatch the organization's next step is to enter into formal negotiations with OhioHealth, with which the health system already maintains a clinical affiliation. He said the process will take 12 to 24 months to complete, the report states.