(SOUTH BEND) – Beacon Health Systems is expanding even more into Southwest Michigan.

On Thursday, Beacon CEO Kreg Gruber made the following announcement. ...... {LISTEN}.

The acquisition includes four hospitals: Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo; Ascension Borgess Allegan Hospital ; Ascension Borgess Lee Hospital in Dowagiac and Ascension Borgess Pipp Hospital in Plainwell.

In addition, Beacon Health will also take ownership of 35 outpatient clinics and an ambulatory surgery center currently operated by Ascension.

Beacon Health, which is based in South Bend, currently owns Three Rivers Hospital, and has helped it grow stronger financially.

Gruber says Beacon Health has the resources to take quality care to the next level for these hospitals. ...... {LISTEN}.

The agreement calls for Beacon Health to take in some 2,700 Ascension employees in the Southwest Michigan area.

Current Ascension patients will continue to receive the same care from their present providers with minimal, if any, disruption prior to and after the merger.

Gruber says the acquisition should be completed sometime this summer.