Gundersen, Marshfield Clinic call off merger talks

Gundersen Health System and Marshfield Clinic Health System said Thursday that they’ve decided to remain independent.

The two healthcare organizations announced in May that they were considering a merger. The combined system would have spread across Wisconsin, as well as parts of Iowa and Minnesota.

It would have had an estimated $3.7 billion in revenue and encompass 18,000-plus employees, 13 hospitals and more than 100 clinics.

“This was an opportunity we had to explore,” Gundersen CEO Dr. Scott Rathgaber said in a statement. “Yet, we have to make the right decision for our patients and for our organizations.”

The two health systems will continue to partner on current initiatives, including the Wisconsin National Community Oncology Research Program and the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program.

“While we mutually decided to remain independent, we will continue to execute our strategy of smart growth as we look for opportunities to ensure residents across rural Wisconsin have access to excellent healthcare close to home,” Marshfield Clinic CEO Dr. Susan Turney said in a statement.

This article first appeared in the Wisconsin Health News daily email newsletter. Sign up for your free trial here.