The physician shortage in Harford County is as acute as in rural areas on the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland which have trouble attracting doctors, said Sheldon.
Sheldon said a partnership with the University of Maryland, which trains half the state's physicians, can help entice doctors to practice in Harford County.
"We think it allows us to establish relationships with medical school students and physicians," he said. "We think this will open some doors."
While mergers have positive aspects for patients, such as access to large networks of top-notch doctors, not all mergers are beneficial for patients, analysts say. In some communities, new ownership means people may no longer have access to their longtime doctors and some jobs may be lost.
The outcome to patients depends on the hospitals, the location and how the merger is conducted, said Jeff Bauer, a hospitals mergers consultant based in Chicago.
Nevertheless, more hospitals are headed in this direction, as difficult economic times and uncertainties in national health care reform are on the horizon.
As hospitals try to bolster their finances, they are also trying to invest in technology such as electronic medical records and specialized clinical services to help set them apart from the pack, he said.
"Hospitals need money more than ever and small hospitals probably don't have it more than ever," Bauer said.
The financial incentives are on both sides, say merger experts.
Smaller hospitals gain access to more capital for building and expansion projects and technology improvements. And there are cost savings that come when doing business with a bigger organization, from better prices for supplies to the ability to cut redundant back-office services.
The University of Maryland Medical System at a glance
The University of Maryland Medical System, which has several hospitals in Baltimore, also includes these member hospitals:
* Baltimore-Washington Medical Center, Glen Burnie
* The Memorial Hospital, Easton
* Dorchester General Hospital, Cambridge
* Chester River Hospital Center, Chestertown
Source: University of Maryland Medical System
