Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System and La Crosse, Wis.-based Gundersen Health System are exploring a merger that would create a 13-hospital rural healthcare network, the organizations said May 7.
The health systems will collaborate on merger details over the next few months. If they reach an agreement, the merged system would have more than 2,000 clinicians and 18,000 employees with locations in Wisconsin, Northeast Iowa and Southeast Minnesota.
"The disruption in the industry and competitive nature of healthcare has made it vital we construct a dynamic and strong integrated health system. This merger would give us an opportunity to combine the unique strengths of our systems to become the preeminent rural healthcare organization in the country," Susan Turney, MD, CEO of Marshfield Clinic, said in a news release.