Blount Memorial Hospital will acquire a local medical group. The hospital has reached a $24.3 million deal with East Tennessee Medical Group in Alcoa.
Blount Memorial will own the real estate and medical equipment, and plans to keep the medical group's physicians, but the two medical groups say patients won't see any big changes in service.
They believe this collaboration will help improve medical care in Blount, Monroe and Loudon counties.
"The biggest private physician group in the hospital are going to be able to work together to provide high quality care, to do that in a very efficient manner, to have a higher degree of communication and going into the future, deliver the best possible care for them," said Dr. Hal Naramore.
Blount Memorial officials say the acquisition will also prove beneficial as healthcare reforms begin to take effect over the next few years.
The acquisition is set to happen on October 1.