Jul. 14—DULUTH — A Wisconsin-based health care giant plans to join with St. Luke’s.
St. Luke's Health Care System Plans To Affiliate With Aspirus Health
Aspirus Health, which operates 17 hospitals, 75 clinics, and other health facilities in Wisconsin and in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, announced Wednesday morning that it signed a letter of intent to affiliate with St. Luke’s, which operates a hospital in Duluth and another in Two Harbors, as well as other health care facilities in the Northland.
St. Luke's Health Care System Plans To Affiliate With Aspirus Health
“We envision a future where access to excellent health care is easier and more seamless for patients,” Matthew Heywood, Aspirus president and CEO, said in a statement sent to the News Tribune. “Aspirus has a history of being nimble, innovative and forward-thinking in how we deliver care for the communities we serve. We welcome the opportunity to expand into Minnesota with St. Luke’s and look forward to learning from one another and building upon our collective strengths to benefit our teams and patients.”
St. Luke's Health Care System Plans To Affiliate With Aspirus Health
The two health care systems hope to complete the deal by 2024. They signed the letter of intent a few weeks ago, according to Jessica Stauber, St. Luke’s director of marketing and business planning.
St. Luke's Health Care System Plans To Affiliate With Aspirus Health
There’s no price attached to the new arrangement, Stauber said.
St. Luke's Health Care System Plans To Affiliate With Aspirus Health
“Given that both organizations are not for profit health systems, this is not a sale like in a typical business — thus there is no price for this affiliation,” she wrote Wednesday afternoon. “Final terms will be worked out over the coming months during the due-diligence process and as we work toward a definitive agreement.”
St. Luke's Health Care System Plans To Affiliate With Aspirus Health
Leaders at both health care systems don’t anticipate layoffs, Stauber said. Aspirus plans to honor existing union and other employment contracts, pending a definitive agreement and regulatory approval.
The combined organization will operate 19 hospitals and 130 outpatient facilities and employ 14,000 staff….
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