Boston Medical, Tufts Discussing Possible Hospital Merger

BOSTON (AP) — Two major Boston teaching hospitals are discussing the possibility of a merger.

Boston Medical Center and Tufts Medical Center confirmed that merger talks are underway, but provided few details.

BMC, located in the city's South End, has 482 beds and runs the region's busiest trauma and emergency center. Tufts is a 415-bed hospital in the Chinatown neighborhood and operates the Floating Hospital for children.

Tufts vice president Brooke Hynes said in a statement that both organizations share commitments to quality and controlling costs.

The last major mergers involving Boston hospitals were in the 1990s. That's when Beth Israel and Deaconess hospitals came together, and Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General hospitals formed the Partners HealthCare system.

A judge is currently weighing Partners' bid to take over three suburban hospitals.

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