UC Davis Med Center, Stockton hospital drop joint-venture plans

The UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento and Dameron Hospital Association in Stockton announced Thursday they have dropped plans to pursue a joint venture after two years of negotiations. The proposed affiliation, approved by University of California Regents in 2012, was expected to strengthen Dameron's core services and advance UC Davis' presence in the Central Valley. The idea was to form a limited liability company that would own and operate nonprofit Dameron Hospital and advance the mission of both partners. Representatives from the two hospitals evaluated different partnership structures that would benefit both organizations and the Stockton community — but couldn't find an acceptable solution.