Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick this morning announced that the hospital is in talks to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston.

The affiliation would give Parkview, previously owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, better access to resources, such as physician recruitment, and increase efficiency at the hospital, Parkview Vice President Sheryl McWilliams told Mainebiz this morning. "Being a small, independent hospital, we will now have much greater buying power," she said. The hospital has signed a letter of intent with Central Maine Healthcare, the parent organization of Central Maine Medical Center.

Parkview's leadership, board of directors and staff of roughly 430 will not change, and the hospital will continue to be faith-based, McWilliams said. She also said the change in ownership is not related to Friday's closure of the Parkview's maternity ward, and noted that details of the deal are still being worked out. McWilliams says she expects the deal to be complete by this summer.