The board of trustees for salinas valley memorial hospital has approved 2 finalists for a potential merger. Trustees voted 4 to 1 on Wednesday to advance natividad medical center, and h-c-a healthcare to a 2nd round of consideration. 7 healthcare organizations had lobbied to be considered for the merger. The 2nd phase of the process is expected to last into june, during which time S-V-M-H officials will scrutinize the finalists’ proposals, and examine other financial and legal issues.
