Allina Health has agreed to take full ownership of Regina Medical Center, a 57-bed hospital and nursing home in Hastings in which it has had a small ownership stake for the past five years.

Allina already operates two of Regina's on-campus primary care clinics in Hastings and another a few miles away in Prescott, Wis. Terms were not disclosed, but the deal is expected to close Aug. 1.

As part of a broader agreement, Duluth-based Benedictine Health System will take over an attached nursing home and senior living facilities in January. Benedictine is one of the largest Catholic senior-care organizations in the country, operating in six states.

Regina Medical Center is an independent hospital based in Dakota County, serving the southeastern Twin Cities suburbs and western Wisconsin. Its board of directors said aligning with Allina and Benedictine will allow Regina to maintain its Catholic heritage and mission.

In a memo to employees, Regina CEO Ty Erickson noted that Regina and Allina have built a working rela­tionship during the past 30 years.

The agreement is a "milestone" in a journey toward a long-term association with the Minneapolis-based hospital system, Erickson said, ensuring that Hastings-area residents will receive quality medical care close to home, including specialty care for cancer, heart disease and neurology.

Allina took a 25 percent stake in the hospital in 2007, and Regina's physicians became part of the Allina system in 2011. The hospital and clinics also are tied into Allina's electronic medical record system.

Allina has committed to investing in "several enhancements to the Regina campus," Erickson said, including an expansion of primary and emergency care.

Jackie Crosby • 612-673-7335