ALTOONA — The Altoona Regional Health System said it is moving forward with a proposed affiliation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Officials said Monday that the Altoona health system’s board of directors and parent company Central Pennsylvania Health Services Corp. have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to negotiate the deal.

If approved, the two would sign a definitive agreement to affiliate.

Pittsburgh-based UPMC already owns 19 hospitals in Western Pennsylvania. Altoona Regional has 380 beds.