Huntsville Hospital Health System announced a plan to acquire the DeKalb Regional Medical Center, a 134-bed hospital in Fort Payne.

The Dekalb acquisition will be yet another hospital center integrated into the North Alabama-based health system. The current 11-hospital system includes the Madison Hospital, Athens-Limestone Hospital, the Decatur Morgan Hospital, the Highlands Medical Center, and the Marshall Medical Centers, among others.

“HH Health System is an organization of like-minded hospitals that believe patients are best served close to home,” CEO Jeff Samz said in a news release. “Our mission includes helping rural communities maintain local access to quality care. Together, we are stronger in today’s challenging environment.”

Samz also mentioned that the acquisition “includes helping rural communities maintain local access to quality care” in face of downward trends for rural health in Alabama. Samz also mentioned that the acquisition will focus on maintaining employee retention “for substantially all employees in good standing at the time of transition.”

The transaction is expected to close on March 31. No financial terms were disclosed at the current moment.