Castle Medical Center’s parent company is considering an acquisition of three public hospitals in East Hawaii on the Big Island.

California-based Adventist Health, the tenth-largest health system in the country, is in talks with Hilo Medical Center, Ka`u Hospital and Hale Ho`ola Hamakua, the state-owned hospitals operated by Hawaii Health Systems Corp.

“Our board, as responsible stewards of our commitment to healthcare, has set a very high priority on the examination of several potential options to better provide for the needs of our community,” said Kurt Corbin, board chairman of HHSC’s East Hawaii region. “The prospect of a strategic alliance with another healthcare organization is one of these options that merits a serious evaluation.”

Facing a $7 million shortfall, the Big Island hospitals cut 87 workers, or about 7 percent of the region’s workforce, earlier this year.

“Recent service cuts and staff reductions at Hilo Medical Center, Ka`u Hospital and Hale Ho`ola Hamakua, while necessary in the short run, are contrary to the best interests of our patients, staff and community,” HHSC said in a press release.

Castle has operated in Windward Oahu for more than 50 years. Adventist Health owns and operates 20 hospitals, 230 clinics and several home health agencies in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.

“Our mission is to improve our community’s health through exceptional and compassionate care,” said Dan Brinkman, HHSC’s East Hawaii regional CEO. “Frankly, the road ahead is even more financially challenging in our journey to achieve long-term sustainability and we must be open to all viable solutions.”