PinnacleHealth has just entered into a pair of agreements that would have a big impact on health care in Pennsylvania.

It has just signed a letter of intent to pursue an affiliation agreement with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and has also made an agreement with Community Health Systems (CHS) to acquire four hospitals, according to Central Penn Business Journal.

“Having PinnacleHealth affiliate with UPMC is an exciting opportunity for the system and central Pennsylvania,” said PinnacleHealth president and CEO Philip W. Guarneschelli in a statement, adding that, “PinnacleHealth has been executing on its vision for the future of health care in the region. Affiliation supports geographic expansion and introduces more choices for health insurance through a provider-sponsored health plan.”

PinnacleHealth had been looking for collaborative deals, according to the organization.

Also unveiled today was the acquisition, awaiting approval, of the mid-state hospitals from CHS. These include Memorial Hospital of York in York, Lancaster Regional Medical Center in Lancaster, Heart of Lancaster Regional Medical Center in Lititz and Carlisle Regional Medical Center in Carlisle.

Guarneschelli stressed that “aligning” the hospitals' “resources and assets” with PinnacleHealth would make “an even stronger system that continues to offer personalized care and quality health care services locally.”

UPMC, which is affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, has over 25 hospitals, 600 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites, and a more than three million-member Insurance Services Division, according to the announcement.

“UPMC has a long history of successful affiliations, most recently UPMC Susquehanna, UPMC Altoona and UPMC Hamot in Erie, where UPMC affiliations have meant significant investment and growth in advanced specialty care, primary care and community services for local residents,” UPMC President and CEO Jeffrey A. Romoff stated.

He said that the organizations had a “shared vision to expand evidence-based, world-class health care with value-driven, low-cost insurance products to benefit more residents and businesses throughout Pennsylvania.”

Calling it the type of integration that will boost both medical research and clinical education programs, Guarneschelli stressed that, “together, we can innovate more and advance health care, while delivering even better health outcomes at a lower cost.”

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