Agreement signed to take Marquette General Hospital private

Marquette General Hospital would become Michigan's second largest privately-run acute-care hospital under an agreement it has signed with Duke LifePoint Healthcare. The hospital board this week signed a memorandum of understanding to join the company, which is a joint venture between Duke University and LifePoint Hospitals, a Brentwood, Tenn., firm with 53 U.S. hospitals. For the next two to four months, the hospital and the company will negotiate an agreement, which would have to be reviewed by the Michigan Attorney General's office.