A major change planned for Rockingham Memorial Hospital could mean new services for patients, but hospital officials say that likely won't happen soon.

The hospital is planning to affiliate with Sentara Healthcare, which is based out of Norfolk.

RMH president and CEO Jim Krauss says, after the affiliation happens, a team will start a process of looking at what gaps there are in services.

He says, based on what Sentara can provide, they'll start planning what to bring to the Valley.

"In the longer term, I think [patients will] see new ideas, new services that will benefit this community that maybe we weren't able to do on our own. And, that will be a positive. At the beginning, I don't think there'll be any change for the patient at all," says Krauss.

Officials are saying not to look for big changes soon.

The affiliation alone could take more than six months to finalize.