When you hear something often enough from unrelated sources, you tend to believe it.
And that is the situation I find myself in with North Dakota healthcare provider Sanford Health’s supposed interest in expanding its footprint to the Twin Cities.
Three sources, who I bet don’t even know one another, are saying that Sanford Health is looking to acquire a health provider in the Twin Cities.
Closing the Quality-Affordability Gap in Workplace Mental Health
In an interview, Kyan Health Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer Konstantin Struck discussed how Kyan gives mid-market and enterprise employers access to premium workforce mental healthcare, at a price point that is affordable.
Who’s the target?
Well, apparently the initial target was Allina Health, but the talks have failed because of a mix of “leadership issues and ego”
That same person tells me that now the target could be Fairview Health Services — he should know given that Fairview is a customer.
Allan Baumgarten, a consultant who routinely publishes reports on hospitals and payers in Minnesota and other markets, said that he too has heard talk of Sanford looking to buy in the Twin Cities.
Why Pharma Companies Should Look To Social Media For Better Patient Insight
Healthcare decision-makers, especially at pharmaceutical companies, must prioritize patient input. Data collected from social media listening is a significant step in the right direction.
“There have been rumors of Sanford seeking to make a major Twin Cities acquisition for at least the past year. The rumor last May was that Allina was the target,” Baumgarten said. “Sanford has broad ambitions and the deep pockets to make something happen.”
Neither Sanford nor Fairview are talking of course.
It may be easier to negotiate something with Fairview given that the leadership at the health provider is in flux. Chairman of the board Chuck Mooty took over as interim CEO after the previous CEO was ousted in May following the Accretive Health debt collection scandal.
Further, Fairview has seen some M&A activity in the past year. Mayo Clinic bought Fairview Red Wing Health Services, a regional hospital part of Fairview in June for an undisclosed amount. Last year also saw the merger of two Twin Cities providers: Park Nicollet Health Services with integrated health system HealthPartners.
And hospital consolidation appears to be a trend at least in the near future.
[Photo Credit: Footprint on sand from BigStock Photo]