COLUMBUS, Ohio — OhioHealth is advancing plans to acquire Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster, a move that would bring the independent hospital under the umbrella of one of the state’s largest health systems.

The organizations first entered a nonbinding agreement in fall 2024 to explore a formal partnership. In September, both boards of directors agreed to move the process forward, authorizing the necessary government filings and due-diligence steps required for Fairfield Medical Center to potentially become a full OhioHealth member, according to a spokesperson who confirmed details to Becker’s .

If the acquisition is finalized, Fairfield Medical Center would become OhioHealth’s 17th acute-care hospital and mark the system’s fifth hospital acquisition in three years . The latest

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