North Carolina city officials took aim at what they considered a lack of communication from Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare as it worked to close its acquisition of Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health, according to the Citizen Times.

Yakima (Wash.) Valley Memorial signed a letter of intent to explore joining Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System. 

Massachusetts nurses' concerns about the closure of mental health and pediatric beds at Heywood Hospital were "intensified" by the May announcement that Worcester-based UMass Memorial Health and Heywood Healthcare are exploring an affiliation deal, the Massachusetts Nurses Association said May 6.

San Francisco-based Dignity Health and the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors have settled on a management services agreement for San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp, Calif.

Alton, Ill.-based OSF Saint Anthony's Health Center has formed a strategic affiliation with SLUCare Physician Group in St. Louis, in partnership with SSM Health, also in St. Louis.

Tucson, Ariz.-based TMC Health has started the due diligence process to acquire Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital in Green Valley, Ariz., a spokesperson for TMC Health confirmed to Becker's May 3.

An affiliation between Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina Health and Boone, N.C.-based Appalachian Regional Healthcare System has been approved.

Worcester-based UMass Memorial Health has signed a nonbinding letter of intent with Gardner, Mass.-based Heywood Healthcare, a two-hospital system, to explore an affiliation deal.

Nine deals involving health systems and hospitals have been announced, finalized or called off since April 11.

Centennial, Colo.-based Centura Health completed the acquisition of St. Elizabeth Hospital and St. Catherine Hospital-Dodge City from Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health, making Centura a 19-hospital system.

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare signed an agreement to acquire Richmond, Va.-based BetterMed, an urgent care practice with 12 locations, Tim McManus, president of HCA Healthcare Capital Division, confirmed to Becker's.

Dallas-based Steward Health Care has acquired the property of the former Miami Medical Center from Miami-based Nicklaus Children's Health System.

The pace of healthcare mergers and acquisitions slowed for the first quarter of 2022 after a large volume of deals in 2021, an April 26 KPMG report found.

Walmart heir Alice Walton's foundation has partnered with the Washington Regional Medical System in Fayetteville, Ark., to build a new regional healthcare system. 

Leawood, Kan.-based Noble Health reached an agreement for Wylie, Texas-based company Platinum Team Management to take control of two shuttered hospitals and nine medical clinics, KOMU reported April 21.

The Massachusetts Attorney General's office signed off on Optum's acquisition of Atrius Health for $236 million April 21, according to the Boston Globe.

National Nurses United is urging the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Justice Department to strengthen regulations and anticompetitive guidelines to healthcare mergers and acquisitions because of their effect on patients, nurses, other healthcare workers and communities.

CMS on April 20 released public data on mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and ownership changes of hospitals and nursing homes enrolled in Medicare, the first time this data has been reported.

Topeka, Kan.-based Stormont Vail Health may partner with the financially struggling Geary Community Hospital after the system's letter of intent was accepted by the hospital and Geary County Commission, WIBW reported April 19.

Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health and Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health have signed an agreement for Trinity to acquire all MercyOne Health System assets and facilities.