Sanford Health has announced plans to merge with Marshfield Health System of Wisconsin — after both groups’ plans to merge with Minnesota health systems fell through. Sanford has hospitals and clinics in a large swath of western Minnesota, plus in the Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska and other states. Marshfield operates dozens of clinics and hospitals in northern and western Wisconsin and on Michigan’s U-P. In 2023, Sanford and Minneapolis-based Fairview for the second time in a decade called off their planned merger under heavy political pressure from the University of Minnesota. And early this year, Marshfield and Duluth-based Essentia called off their planned merger, Essentia citing Marshfield’s financial challenges. Sanford says a partnership with Marshfield “will bring together two strong physician-driven organizations, each with a reputation for excellence in quality, safety, and patient experience.”
A spokesman for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says that office is aware of the prospective merger and “will be reviewing the proposed transaction.” Ellison held a series of public hearings on the Sanford-Fairview before it was called off. His office also had a listening session in Duluth on the now-defunct Essentia-Marshfield merger.