Duke Health announced a new multi-year contract with UnitedHealthcare on Friday, bringing an end to months of negotiations.

Under the agreement, Duke's 172,000 patients with UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored commercial plans and Medicare Advantage plans will remain in-network with Duke's physicians, facilities and hospitals, according to a news release. The agreement also granted Duke in-network status as of Friday for patients under United's Community Plan, which is available to those on Medicaid, the release said.

Duke's previous contract with UnitedHealthcare expired Thursday, and negotiations had been ongoing since April, Axios reported in August.

In an email sent to patients, Duke Health System Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Thomas A. Owens wrote, "Keeping you -- our patients -- as our priority has guided us throughout this negotiation and continues to guide us every single day. We recognize the stress that uncertainty can bring, particularly for those that are already facing uncertainty with their health."

In a news release, Owens said, "This new contract preserves and expands our patients' access to the Duke Health care teams they know and trust, and appropriately reimburses us for the expert, complex care only we can provide. We appreciate United's attention to complete this contract so we can focus on the people and families we both serve."