Two Wisconsin health systems called off a merger deal Dec. 19 that would have created a 13-hospital network. That failed transaction represents one of several hospital mergers that, at some point in their lifetime, were called off in the past year.
Below are seven hospital mergers called off since Jan. 1, beginning with the most recent:
1. Wisconsin health systems call off merger
La Crosse, Wis.-based Gundersen Health System and Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System abandoned plans in December to merge into a 13-hospital rural healthcare network. The two systems said they "mutually decided to remain independent" after several months of productive and collaborative discussions.
2. Sanford Health, UnityPoint nix $11B merger
Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health and Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health called off plans in November to merge into an $11 billion, 76-hospital system. The two systems called off the merger roughly five months after signing a letter of intent to combine.
3. Lifespan, Care New England end merger talks
Care New England Health System announced July 16 that its board voted to withdraw from merger talks with Lifespan and Brown University, both in Providence, R.I. Officials said several factors contributed to the decision, including capital requirements and financial stability of the combined system, community need, anti-trust considerations, organizational stability and implementation risks.
4. Illinois hospitals call off merger
Maywood, Ill.-based Loyola Medicine and Palos Health in Palos Heights, Ill., called off merger discussions in May after signing a nonbinding letter of intent in January. Loyola Medicine and Palos Health didn't say why they decided to end talks, but they did note that existing partnerships between the organizations will continue.
5. Centura Health, Community Hospital call off merger talks
Community Hospital in Grand Junction, Colo., and Centura Health in Centennial, Colo., discontinued merger discussions in March, about four months after signing a letter of intent to merge. Although the organizations ended formal merger discussions, they remain open to exploring ways to partner in the future.
6. Illinois hospitals end merger talks
Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka, Ill., and Riverside Healthcare in Kankakee, Ill., ended merger discussions in February. However, officials said they would continue to collaborate on ways to best serve patients in Iroquois County.
7. Baylor Scott & White, Memorial Hermann end merger talks
Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann Health System decided to discontinue merger discussions in February, roughly four months after signing a letter of intent to combine their organizations. Baylor Scott & White and Memorial Hermann did not cite a specific reason for ending merger talks. "Ultimately, we have concluded that as strong, successful organizations, we are capable of achieving our visions for the future without merging at this time," the systems said in a joint statement.
More articles on healthcare industry transactions:
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Philadelphia hospital sells for $50M
Tenet to sell 2 Tennessee hospitals as part of $350M deal