COLUMBUS, Ohio — OhioHealth is advancing plans to acquire Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster, a move that would bring the independent hospital under the umbrella of one of the state’s largest health systems.
The organizations first entered a nonbinding agreement in fall 2024 to explore a formal partnership. In September, both boards of directors agreed to move the process forward, authorizing the necessary government filings and due-diligence steps required for Fairfield Medical Center to potentially become a full OhioHealth member, according to a spokesperson who confirmed details to Becker’s.
If the acquisition is finalized, Fairfield Medical Center would become OhioHealth’s 17th acute-care hospital and mark the system’s fifth hospital acquisition in three years. The latest occurred in January, when OhioHealth acquired Morrow County Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Mount Gilead.
OhioHealth’s expansion into regional communities has been ongoing for more than a decade. Berger Hospital in Circleville joined the system in 2019 as its 12th hospital, a transition many local residents still reference as a major turning point for healthcare delivery in central and southern Ohio.
Fairfield Medical Center, a key healthcare provider for Fairfield County and surrounding communities, would significantly deepen OhioHealth’s footprint along the U.S. 33 corridor. Supporters of the deal say it could strengthen local access to specialty care, technology, and systemwide resources, while critics have raised questions about the continued loss of independent hospitals in Ohio.
The proposed acquisition must still undergo regulatory review and meet closing conditions before becoming official.
