Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health has transferred the ownership of Blue Ridge, Ga.-based Fannin Regional Hospital to Java Medical Group. 

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice on July 19 released a draft update of the merger guidelines, which outline the agencies' review of mergers and acquisitions to determine compliance with antitrust laws. 

The American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals joined 20 other organizations to urge the Federal Trade Commission to extend by 60 days the public comment period for its proposed changes to the  premerger notification form and rules.

The city of Pensacola, Fla., hopes to acquire and demolish the old Baptist Hospital once its operations are transferred to a new facility, Pensacola News Journal reported July 17.

The Federal Trade Commission has withdrawn two antitrust policy statements related to enforcement in healthcare markets: 

While Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica says it is fully on board with a proposal for Los Angeles-based American Healthcare Systems to buy its Coldwater (Mich.) Regional Hospital, there is little to fall back on if the planned deal fails to get over regulatory hurdles, according to a July 14 The Daily Reporter article.

Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth and Pueblo, Colo.-based Parkview Health System said July 12 they were delaying their tie-up because of unresolved "regulatory matters."

From the delay of UCHealth and Parkview's proposed combination, to Aspirus Health and St. Luke's signing a letter of intent to affiliate, here are nine  hospital and health system mergers and acquisitions updates Becker's reported since July 5:

Hospital and health systems transactions returned to pre-pandemic levels in the second quarter of 2023, according to a July 13 report from Kaufman Hall.

UCSF Health is in talks with Dignity Health to acquire the system's clinical presence in San Francisco, including St. Mary's Medical Center, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and associated outpatient and urgent care clinics. 

The number of physicians in private practice dropped 13 percentage points over the last decade while the number of physicians working in practices with at least some hospital or health system ownership jumped 8 percentage points, according to a new report from the American Medical Association.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington has joined Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth Health, now a six-hospital system. 

Los Angeles-based American Healthcare Systems, which has been busy buying up hospitals this year, took a big step forward with its proposed acquisition of Montebello, Calif.-based Beverly Community Hospital after the California attorney general conditionally approved the transaction July 7.

Two financially challenged health systems have recently said they want to sell some of their laboratory assets to Burlington, N.C.-based Labcorp in a bid to help ease such issues.

Wausau, Wis.-based Aspirus Health and Duluth, Minn.-based St. Luke's have signed a letter of intent to affiliate and jointly serve patients in their home states and Michigan, according to a July 12 release.

Municipal officials in Juneau, Alaska, approved the appropriation of $8.1 million for Bartlett Regional Hospital to purchase the property and buildings that currently house Juneau Bone and Joint Center, Juneau Empire reported July 11.

Irving, Texas-based Christus Health said it has taken out a total of $240 million in loans to help it fund acquisitions, according to a July 10 filing.

Charlottesville, Va.-based UVA Health and Newport News, Va.-based Riverside Health System are forming an alliance to increase access to innovative care for complex medical conditions and clinical trials. 

Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, Alaska, has completed the acquisition of Wildflower Court, a nursing home that has served the community since 1977. 

After acquiring Waukegan, Ill.-based Vista Medical Center East, American Healthcare Systems is looking to add new services to the hospital, the Chicago Tribune reported July 7.