HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Huntsville Emergency Medical Services Inc. (HEMSI) could soon be a part of the Huntsville Hospital Network, as both entities recently confirmed that they’d entered early talks regarding a possible merger.

If this merger between HEMSI and the Huntsville Hospital Health System were to become a reality, it could expand the medical services the non-profit would be able to provide.

However, there are multiple factors that need to be sorted out before moving forward. “At the surface, it seems fairly easy – but really there’s a lot of details that have to get worked out,” HEMSI President David Blair told News 19.

Huntsville Hospitals is looking to have a regional emergency medical service system, and acquiring HEMSI would help do that. Although talks are in the early stages, Blair says the partnership could allow them to stretch the medical care services they’re able to provide.

“We pride ourselves on the medical care that we provide to the Huntsville/Madison County area, and we’re going to be looking at things like continuing that or increasing the capabilities that we provide,” Blair said.

With over 250 employees, HEMSI is looking to ensure the partnership will be a good fit for them as well.

“We’re looking at how any changes and benefits, scheduling, those types of things will affect them, and we want to make sure that it’s at least at a level… to better the benefits for the employees,” Blair said.

Recently, Senator Katie Britt secured more than $2 million in federal funding for the Huntsville Hospital Health System to purchase 10 ambulances for emergency management services across north Alabama counties.

Blair says if the merger were to happen, the Huntsville Hospital System could cover and provide emergency medical services for more people across the Tennessee Valley.

“Huntsville Hospital putting in a regional EMS, it will be partially Tennessee, so yeah there’s a lot of benefits to having all the ambulance services. There’s a lot of efficiencies you can gain,” Blair said.

HEMSI is hoping for the negotiation process to be expedited.

“There’s no specific timeline we’d like to get it done as soon as possible so either decide to move forward with us going up under Huntsville Hospital or not doing that and just continuing as HEMSI,” Blair told News 19.

HEMSI board members recently signed a letter of intent to officially enter talks with Huntsville Hospital about the possible merger.