UW Health and Marshfield Clinic Health System's Jan. 1 departure from AboutHealth, a statewide collaborative, brings the number of participating Wisconsin health systems from eight to six.
Appleton, Wis.-based AboutHealth formed in 2014. Madison-based UW Health was a founding member, although Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System did not join until 2015. In total, the AboutHealth network included 48 hospitals and 8,000 physicians.
With the departure of UW and Marshfield, AboutHealth now includes Waukesha-based ProHealth Care, Wausau-based Aspirus, Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care, Green Bay-based Bellin Health, La Crosse-based Gundersen Health System and Appleton-based ThedaCare.
In a joint statement, UW Health and Marshfield said they "believe the best path forward is to continue focusing on our own integrated health systems," according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Another similar statewide partnership launched in 2010, called Integrated Health Network of Wisconsin. That group includes Madison-based SSM Health, Fond du Lac-based Agnesian Healthcare, Glendale-based Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and Milwaukee-based Columbia St. Mary's, Froedtert Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin.