According to representatives of South Dakota-based healthcare provider Sanford Health, merger talks have stalled. The deal would have enabled the creation of a large network of hospitals and clinics in six states, including western Minnesota.
Sanford Health announced plans to merge with Iowa-based UnityPoint Health in the summer, creating a company with annual revenue of $11 billion. However, Sanford Health’s CEO said the parties had not been able to reach a final agreement.
“Our discussions regarding a potential merger with UnityPoint Health have ended,” Kelby Krabbenhoft, president and CEO of Sanford Health, said in a statement. “The leadership teams and physicians worked diligently for 18 months to make a merger recommendation to the boards. We are disappointed that the UnityPoint Health board did not embrace this vision.”
Sioux Falls-based Sanford Health is backed by philanthropist Denny Sanford and operates a large network of hospitals, clinics and nursing homes, including locations in South Dakota, North Dakota and western Minnesota. As of July, Minnesota locations included 18 hospitals and 171 clinics.
UnityPoint Health operates hospitals and clinics in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. The Des Moines-based health system also owns a health insurance plan with Bloomington-based HealthPartners.
Christopher Snowbeck • 612-673-4744 Twitter: @chrissnowbeck
Krabbenhöft (Star Tribune)
