St. Louis-based SSM Health has stalled talks with the University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia to sell two hospitals, though the two organizations intend to move forward with a partnership agreement, according to the The Mexico Ledger.

Massachusetts' watchdog agency, the Health Policy Commission, will not conduct a rigorous review of Boston-based Partners HealthCare's proposed acquisition of Providence, R.I.-based Care New England, as the deal would not have a large effect on residents in the state, The Boston Globe reports.

Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka, Ill., and Riverside Healthcare in Kankakee, Ill., have discontinued merger discussions roughly four months after signing a letter of intent to combine their organizations.

Santa Clara County will move forward with the purchase of O'Connor Hospital in San Jose, Calif., and Gilroy-based St. Louise Regional Hospital despite California Attorney General Xavier Becerra's efforts to block the sale, according to The Mercury News.

Atlanta-based Northside Hospital and Lawrenceville, Ga.-based Gwinnett Health System have received approval from the FTC to merge.

Kingston-based University of Rhode Island Health Services has partnered with South County Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds to provide services that work to achieve zero suicides in Washington County within five years.

Three of the largest for-profit hospital operators entered into several transactions in recent months. Some of the companies are selling off facilities to strengthen their hospital portfolios, while others are exploring ways to expand their reach.

A newly formed nonprofit run by Bloomfield, N.J.-based Community Healthcare Associates completed its purchase of Salem, N.J.-based Memorial Hospital of Salem County from Community Health Systems, according NJBiz.com.

Hyannis, Mass.-based Cape Cod Hospital will join the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative to receive the latest evidence-based best practices for cancer care.

Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health and Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System have decided to discontinue merger discussions roughly four months after signing a letter of intent to combine their organizations.

Leaks happen – sometimes on purpose, but often by accident. When a healthcare business is involved in a transaction, a leak to the media can derail its communications plan or even the deal itself.

Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives and San Francisco-based Dignity Health have completed a deal to combine their systems.

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare now owns 185 hospitals after completing its purchase of Mission Health, a six-hospital system based in Asheville, N.C.

Somerset (Pa.) Hospital will officially become UPMC Somerset Feb. 1, seven months after the potential merger was announced, according to The Tribune-Democrat.

Pipeline Health, a privately held hospital ownership and management company based in Los Angeles, has acquired Arlington-based Texas Health Resources' majority stake in 22 freestanding emergency rooms, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Milwaukee-based Advocate Aurora Health is partnering with Oak Street Health to open a primary care clinic in Elgin, Ill., that will serve Medicare enrollees.

Seaford, Del.-based Nanticoke Health Services and Peninsula Regional Health System in Salisbury, Md., will sign a letter of intent to move forward with an affiliation.

The Lee County (Va.) Hospital Authority has voted to partner with Johnson City, Tenn.-based Ballad Health to reopen the shuttered Lee County Hospital, according to WHJL, a local CBS affiliate.

Charleston-based Medical University of South Carolina is seeking to buy four rural hospitals from Community Health Systems for $137 million, according to The Post and Courier.

Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare completed the sale of its three remaining Chicago-area hospitals.