DALLAS (AP) – Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare say they plan to merge to create the largest not-for-profit health system in Texas.

They made the announcement Friday. The new system will be called Baylor Scott & White Health. Its combined assets will total nearly $8 billion and include 42 hospitals, 4,000 active doctors and 34,000 employees.

The systems plan to complete a definitive merger agreement next year.

Baylor is one of the largest health care providers in North Texas. Scott & White is dominant in Central Texas and has facilities along the I-35 corridor from Waco to Pflugerville and stretch east to College Station and west to Mason.

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