St. Louis system will acquire Mexico hospital

A St. Louis-based health system says it will acquire the Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, Mo.

The agreement between SSM Health Care and the hospital will be effective April 1.

Under the agreement, SSM Health Care will own and operate the 88-bed acute care hospital and its nine MedChoice rural clinics. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

SSM Health Care owns 17 hospitals in four states. The Columbia Daily Tribune reported Tuesday (http://bit.ly/XVVWgz ) that SSM will form a Mid-Missouri region to encompass its hospitals and clinics in the region.