Two of the largest health care providers in the state announced this afternoon they had ended the nearly two-year discussion to form a relationship.

Barnabas Health and Atlantic Health System issued a release today saying the discussions that began in October 2010 to “explore synergies between the two organizations” had been terminated.

A relationship between the two systems would have created a geographical footprint of Essex, Monmouth, Ocean, Morris, Union and Sussex counties.

No further details were released.