Hospitals

Two nonprofit Twin Cities hospitals merge with the provider/plan taking the leadership spot

Two Twin Cities nonprofit providers are  joining forces in a transaction that involves no money. […]

Two Twin Cities nonprofit providers are  joining forces in a transaction that involves no money.

HealthPartners, the largest consumer-governed nonprofit provider in the country and an insurance company, is combining with Park Nicollet Health Services, with the combined legal entity to be named HealthPartners. The transaction is expected to close Jan. 1 pending regulatory review.

The merged entity’s operations will include Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, four HealthPartners hospitals – Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater, Hudson Hospital in Hudson, Wisconsin, and Westfields Hospital in New Richmond, Wisconsin. It will also include  medical and dental clinics across the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin. The combined entity will be integrated with the HealthPartners’ health plan, which serves more than 1.4 million medical and dental members nationwide.

While the merger follows news of other health systems joining forces to create larger entities, the announcement sought to portray the transaction as not driven by a desire for consolidation. As such no layoffs are planned. HealthPartners has more than 12,000 employees, while Park Nicollet has 8,100 employees.

The announcement also stressed that Park Nicollet Clinics will continue to operate under that name, but there was no question which entity commands the leadership position.

HealthPartners CEO Mary Brainerd will be the CEO of the combined entity, which will be called HealthPartners. Dr. David Abelson, president and CEO, Park Nicollet , will lead the new organization’s care delivery system which will be called Park Nicollet HealthPartners Care Group.

Both hailed the merger.

“HealthPartners and Park Nicollet share the same mission: making people healthier, making health care more affordable, and creating the best possible experience for our patients and members,” Brainerd said in a news release. “Separately, and in partnership, we’ve worked toward these goals in the Twin Cities area for decades. Together, we’ll be better able to pursue this mission across our region for the benefit of the people we serve.”

Abelson echoed Brainerd and her commitment to serving patients.’

“Park Nicollet and HealthPartners are two of the strongest local collaborators in support of our common goal of improving access to high-quality, compassionate care for people in the Twin Cities,” he said. “In many ways, we’ve shown what’s possible when health care organizations work together to put people first. By combining our organizations, we’ll take that collaborative spirit much further, creating new potential for meeting the changing needs of our community at this important time in health care.”

 

[Photo Credit: Freedigitalphotos]

Shares0
Shares0