The providers announced on Wednesday that they have signed a letter of intent to come together, bringing the community hospital into the fold with the Show Me State's largest health system. The pair expects the deal to improve access and improve local care in the St. Louis region.

St. Luke's said in the announcement that the letter "follows a deliberate and thorough evaluation process," conducted by its board of directors and leaders "to identify the best path forward for St. Luke’s and the communities it serves."

The providers said they intend to spend the next several months building a definitive agreement to merge and complete the needed regulatory approval process. In the interim, St. Luke's patients can continue to see their regular physicians.

BJC said in the announcement that it is committed to supporting local, community care while also allowing St. Luke's to tap into the resources available across its ecosystem. It intends to provide key support for the hospital's clinical technology and equipment as well as backing infrastructure and facility upgrades and provider recruitment and retention efforts.

St. Luke’s is a well-respected hospital, known for clinical quality, patient experience and the personal attention given to everyone in our care,” said Andy Bagnall, CEO of St. Luke’s, in the announcement. “At the same time, the demands of health care delivery and our communities’ needs are changing rapidly."

We believe that together with BJC, we can strengthen patient care in St. Louis in ways we could not easily do on our own," Bagnall said.

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