HOBOKEN, NJ — A pair of hospitals in Hudson County may soon have a new owner and the future of a third remains uncertain, officials announced Tuesday.

On Oct. 22, CarePoint Health – which owns Hoboken University Medical Center, Christ Hospital in Jersey City and the Bayonne Medical Center – signed a letter of intent with RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH). According to a joint statement from the companies, Hoboken University Medical Center and Christ Hospital will become part of RWJBH. The agreement is a major step towards reaching a definitive agreement on the sale, which is expected before the end of the year.

CarePoint Health has started a separate process seeking a "strategic partner" for Bayonne Medical Center, leaving the future of that hospital uncertain for now. Under the terms of the letter of intent, the services and resources for Hoboken University Medical Center and Christ Hospital as full-service providers of acute health care services for the Hudson County community will be "enhanced," the companies reported.

Federal and state approval will be needed before the sale is final. The RWJBarnabas Health system includes 11 acute care hospitals: Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway and Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.

"I'm very pleased that RWJBarnabas intends to continue offering high quality healthcare at the Hoboken University Medical Center," Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said Tuesday.

"The hospital serves a critical need to both the residents of Hoboken and the surrounding communities in Hudson County, and must continue to operate in our city," Bhalla continued.

Bhalla said his office has received "multiple assurances" that any prospective transaction will not impact the continuation of medical services or employment at the hospital. "We will continue to work closely with both CarePoint and RWJBarnabas to ensure that this occurs," Bhalla said.