Nonprofit and for-profit hospitals and health systems announced 85 transactions in 2019, a 27 percent decline from last year, according to a new report from financial and strategic advisory firm Ponder & Co. 

The Federal Trade Commission will step up oversight and scrutiny of potential hospital mergers this year, the agency's commissioner Christine Wilson said at a conference last week, according to financial news website The Motley Fool. 

The Maryland Healthcare Commission granted final approval for Cristfield, Md.-based McCready Health to join Salisbury, Md.-based Peninsula Regional Health System.

Northwell Health has acquired Queens Medical Associates, a New York-based oncology practice with seven locations, according to QNS.com.

Mayo Regional Hospital received approval from the state of Maine to join Northern Light Health, a nine-hospital system in Brewer, Maine, according to The Bangor Daily News.

Boston-based Partners HealthCare, which is rebranding to Mass General Brigham, is expanding its primary care presence through a partnership with One Medical, a membership-based chain of primary care clinics. 

Health systems across the U.S. are looking for ways to improve the overall health of the communities they serve while cutting costs. One emerging trend to reconcile these seemingly competing goals is investing in primary care and express care sites.

Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health plans to launch a joint venture with Toledo, Ohio-based Welltower, a real estate investment firm, as part of a strategy to better manage aging patients' social determinants of health and grow its ambulatory care network.

Seven transactions involving hospitals and health systems that were announced, finalized or advanced in the last week:

Morgantown-based West Virginia University Health System inked a letter of intent to acquire Uniontown (Pa.) Hospital, the organizations announced Jan. 13.

ChristianaCare, a three-hospital system based in Wilmington, Del., is establishing a network of new urgent care centers throughout Delaware in partnership with GoHealth Urgent Care, according to a Jan. 10 release.

Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth has purchased nearly 103 acres of land for future expansion in New Smyrna Beach (Fla.), according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Daly City, Calif.-based Seton Medical Center, which faces closure after a deal to purchase it fell apart last month, may have a new buyer, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare has acquired Valify, a Frisco, Texas-based company that offers a web-based platform to help healthcare organizations identify opportunities to cut costs.

Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network added Grove City (Pa.) Medical Center to its health system Jan. 10.

Two of New Hampshire's largest health systems are seeking approval from the state attorney general to merge, according to Valley News.

Advocate Aurora Health, a 28-hospital system with dual headquarters in Downers Grove, Ill., and Milwaukee, has entered into a definitive agreement to sell two hospitals to Urbana, Ill.-based Carle.

Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem has finalized its acquisition of the 312-bed Swedish Hospital in Chicago. 

LifePoint Health is partially shifting ownership of St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Ga., to Emory Healthcare through a new joint venture.

Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare has withdrawn from negotiations to purchase and operate Bayonne (N.J.) Medical Center, according to the Hudson Reporter.