Meadville Medical Center plans to acquire five physician practices from Steward Medical Group, a move that will “preserve access for thousands of patients in the region,” according to the Pennsylvania-based health care system.

The acquisition, expected to close around Jan. 1, includes two practices in Trumbull County — Hubbard Medical Group, 880 W. Liberty St., Hubbard, and Brookfield Internal Medicine, 7264 Warren Sharon Road, Brookfield.

The others are Sharon Family Practice, 62 Strawbridge Ave, Sharon, Pa.; Hermitage Family Practice & Internal Medicine, 2425 Garden Way, Hermitage, Pa.; and Mercer Family Medicine Center, 551 Greenville Road, Mercer, Pa.

Patients should see no change to the operation other than a name change to each practice, new signage and possibly new phone numbers. Information will be sent to patients if the phone number changes.

“We have worked as quickly as possible to get this deal done so patients didn’t see an interruption to their services. We look forward to partnering with these practices and their providers to continue offering primary care services in Mercer County and Ohio,” Gabrielle Pierce, vice president of physician services for Meadville Medical Center, said in a news release.