the number of potential merger-partners for salinas valley memorial hospital has been further reduced…to just 1. officials with privately-owned H-C-A Healthcare have announced that they are pulling out of consideration, and will not file a final proposal. That leaves natividad medical center as the only option for salinas valley memorial hospital. The deal would likely involve a merger, rather than a total acquisition of the hospital. A final proposal is due on Monday. Hospital officials could still decide to remain independent. A decision could be made at the board’s meeting on july 26th .