Dive Transient:
- Two Wisconsin-based hospital operators, Gundersen Well being System and Bellin Well being, stated they anticipate to finish their beforehand introduced merger on Nov. 30. It’s the second merger of Midwest well being techniques within the highlight this month, after South Dakota-based Sanford Well being and Fairview Well being Providers in Minneapolis final week introduced plans to merge.
- The settlement creates an 11-hospital system with greater than 100 native clinics throughout Wisconsin, Higher Michigan, southeastern Minnesota and northeast Iowa. The nonprofits stated they anticipate the merger to permit them to supply sufferers entry to extra assets and a broader community of companies that can enhance care.
- Whereas they’re combining operations, the organizations will retain their present headquarters — Gundersen is predicated in La Crosse and Bellin in Inexperienced Bay — to make sure shared decision-making and equal illustration in a “merger of equals,” they stated.
Dive Perception:
The merger of Gundersen and Bellin comes amid a slowdown in hospital offers that took maintain in 2021 and has continued this 12 months. Trade consultants at Kaufman Corridor stated latest healthcare transactions have tended to give attention to combining teams of amenities in concentrated markets, as pandemic disruptions and monetary pressures have made it much less engaging for acquirers to pursue non-core belongings.
An exception is without doubt one of the 12 months’s largest introduced offers, the merger of Advocate Aurora Well being within the Midwest and Atrium Well being within the South. The 2 regional techniques intend to create a 67-hospital operation spanning six states.
Bellin and Gundersen introduced June 1 they had been in talks towards a merger aimed toward strengthening the private, native medical look after which they’re recognized of their communities.
“Our well being techniques have been efficiently fulfilling our particular person missions, however we all know we are going to thrive and finest serve our sufferers and communities by discovering companions with shared missions and strategic visions,” stated Scott Rathgaber, present Gundersen CEO. Rathgaber will lead the merged organizations as CEO.
John Dykema, chair of the Bellin Well being board of administrators, will change into chair of the newly created board, residing in northeast Wisconsin. Present Bellin CEO Chris Woleske will function system government vice chairman and president of the Bellin area.
The Bellin and Gundersen names, logos, places and other people will stay the identical, the 2 techniques stated. Over time, they intend to supply sufferers a broader community of shared supplier experience and digital well being instruments to deliver digital care choices into houses and workplaces.
