The proposed merger of two local hospitals is moving forward.

The Boards of Directors of Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center have voted unanimously to go ahead with an affiliation agreement and have submitted a certificate of need application to the State Department of Health.

The hospitals are waiting to hear from the DOH as to when the proposed certificate of need will be on the agenda of the New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council.

Hospital officials are hoping it could be as early as December.

The two hospitals have been working on an affiliation since December of 2011.

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