ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — St. Peter’s Health Partners and Ellis Medicine may merge. Both health care systems have signed a letter of intent to examine a joint affiliation.

While a potential merger is in its early stages, St. Peter’s Health Partners and Ellis Medicine will be partaking in a review process over the next several months to help determine whether or not both health care systems will join together.

Representatives made it clear, that the pandemic is not the main reasoning behind this potential merger, adding that St. Peter’s Health Partners and Ellis Medicine have joined together in the past—working on initiatives such as the Innovated Health Alliance of New York.

A final agreement will require the approval of both boards of trustees, as well as state and federal regulatory agencies.