Milwaukee-based Froedtert and Neenah-based ThedaCare, two Wisconsin health systems, have signed a definitive agreement to merge into an 18-hospital system.
The organizations aim to launch the combined health system at the start of 2024, pending pre-closing conditions and board and regulatory approvals.
"Creating healthier communities throughout Wisconsin will take a lot of work … [and] we are excited to continue the process of bringing our locally led healthcare organizations together, working in concert with the Medical College of Wisconsin," Froedtert President and CEO Cathy Jacobson said in a Sept. 6 news release.
Following the launch of the combined system, Ms. Jacobson will initially assume the role of CEO, and ThedaCare President and CEO Imran Andrabi, MD, will serve as president. Ms. Jacobson will retire from the combined health system after a six-month transition period, with Dr. Andrabi assuming the role of president and CEO.
The initial chair and vice chair roles of the board and committees will be equally shared between the systems. The initial board chair will be Jud Snyder, Froedtert's current board chair, and the initial vice chair will be Jim Kotek, ThedaCare's current board chair.
Five other leaders were named to executive roles of the combined system when the letter of intent was announced in April:
- ThedaCare Chief Strategy Officer Thomas Arquilla will serve as chief growth officer
- Froedtert Executive Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and Treasurer Scott Hawig will serve as CFO
- Froedtert Chief Business Development Officer David Olson will serve as chief business development officer
- Froedtert Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Ian Schwartz, MD, will serve as chief clinical officer
- ThedaCare COO and CFO Mark Thompson will serve as chief transformation investment officer