Baptist Hospitals merging with Brookwood

Baptist Health System, which owns four hospital campuses in Alabama, will merge with the parent company of Brookwood Medical Center to create a new healthcare network in central Alabama, the companies announced on Tuesday.  Texas-based Tenet Healthcare Corporation currently runs Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham and will be the majority partner and manager the network's operations, according to a release from Tenet Health.  The new network will unite Baptist Health System's four hospitals, Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster, Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega and Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper, with Brookwood Medical Center, the companies said.  The companies says the new healthcare system will have more than 1,700 licensed beds; 77 outpatient and physician office facilities, including clinics delivering primary and specialty care; approximately 7,300 employees; and approximately 1,500 affiliated physicians. The merger is expected to be finalized in the third quarter of 2015.