Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, in Torrington, Conn., are trying to merge,  but a recent executive order by Gov. Dannel  Malloy could at least stall the deal.

“We are eager to move ahead to form a partnership that will support and broaden the extraordinary work of Charlotte Hungerford Hospital,” said Hartford HealthCare President and CEO Elliot Joseph.

Gov. Malloy has ordered the state Department of Public Health to delay final decisions on certain hospital deals until Jan. 15, 2017. The order only applies to transactions that could result in a health system’s operating revenue accounting for more than 20 percent of hospital operating revenues in the state.  Hartford HealthCare had $2.5 billion in operating revenues, about 20.3 percent of the statewide total, in 2014.