Columbia-based University of Missouri Health Care signed a letter of intent to acquire Jefferson City, Mo.-based Capital Region Medical Center.
The two entities have a more than 25-year partnership that has seen them share EHRs, coordinate care and roll out new specialty services.
The organizations are working to reach a definitive agreement in the coming months, and the integration details are expected to be finalized by the end of this year, subject to University of Missouri and Capital Region board approvals, according to a June 8 University of Missouri news release.
"The healthcare industry has changed since our partnership began. We must evolve to continue serving our communities while creating new opportunities for our patients and employees," Gaspare Calvaruso, Capital Region Medical Center president, said in the release. "As the healthcare industry landscape changes, we continue to see more frequent integration of community hospitals with larger health systems for efficiency and to create a more sustainable model of care."