“Deaconess has offered quality health care services to local residents for many years,” Damon Brown, interim CEO of AllianceHealth Deaconess, said in a news release. “We believe the combination with Integris sustains and enhances Deaconess' commitment for delivery of quality health care and services to the community.”

Community Health Systems Inc., which is based in Tennessee, owns Deaconess, 5501 N Portland, and operates it under the AllianceHealth brand. Primary care clinics owned by Deaconess in Bethany and Oklahoma City will join Integris, but AllianceHealth Midwest will remain separate.

Oklahoma City — Integris Health announced Tuesday that it will purchase Deaconess Hospital, and plans to offer jobs to all employees.

Tim Johnsen, president of Integris Baptist Medical Center, said Baptist turns away as many as 1,200 patients annually because its critical care beds are full. Adding Deaconess' 238 beds will go a long way toward meeting those patients' needs, he said.

“What we really need is more critical care space,” he said. “It really gives us some breathing room.”

Due diligence is ongoing, so it's still possible the deal could fall through. It's possible that the Federal Trade Commission could raise concerns about Integris' market share, but Johnsen said he doesn't expect that to be a problem. If all goes well, the deal could close in late summer or early fall.

Johnsen declined to say how much Integris would pay for Deaconess. He said the hospitals still have yet to determine if any services at Deaconess will move or change, and whether the building will need any renovations. All employees in good standing will have the option to transition.