NOVI, Mich. – Trinity Health, which operates 47 hospitals in 10 states, and Catholic Health East, which operates 35 hospitals in 11 states, have reached an agreement to come together to create a unified national health system.

One of the member hospitals for Trinity is St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend.

The consolidation would create a health system that serves people in 21 states from coast to coast with 82 hospitals, 89 continuing care facilities and home health and hospice programs with 87,000 employees, including 4,100 employed physicians.

The new system would have annual operating revenue of $13.3 billion and assets of $19.3 billion.