HOPE, Ark. - Wadley Regional Medical Center is up for sale in Hope, Ark. and is the only hospital in the region to serve patients.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing was to consider Pafford Health Systems' proposal to purchase the license to operate the Medical Center, and the proposal by Hempstead County and the city of Hope to buy the real estate for the medical center has been delayed again.

The hearing was set for Friday, Aug. 16, but has now been postponed until Thursday, Aug. 22.

The center faced the concern of closing after its parent company, Steward Health, filed for bankruptcy in May of this year.

Since it was filed, the city of Hope's Board of Directors and Hempstead County's quorum court unanimously voted to buy the hospital's real estate from the previous owner, MPT of Hope, for a combined $500,000, with each entity sharing half the cost.

Pafford Health Systems was recently deemed the qualifying bidder and approved by Steward Health Care to purchase the license to operate the facility.

Judge Christopher Lopez must approve the purchasing deals before the license and real estate can change hands.