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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
After two failed attempts to break into Minnesota, Sanford Health has finally landed in the Twin Cities. The South Dakota-based nonprofit closed its acquisition of North Memorial Health under a 10-year oversight agreement with the Minnesota attorney general, committing $600 million in investments and pledging to preserve key services like Robbinsdale's Level 1 trauma center.
After two previous merger attempts with Fairview Health Services collapsed under political and regulatory pressure, Sanford Health has finally secured its foothold in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market. The South Dakota-based nonprofit officially closed its acquisition of North Memorial Health, with North Memorial becoming a Sanford subsidiary and anchoring the system's new Twin Cities region. North Memorial CEO Trevor Sawallish will lead the region, while Sanford CEO Bill Gassen continues to oversee the combined organization.
The deal came together under a 10-year oversight agreement with the Minnesota attorney general's office — which doesn't formally approve healthcare transactions but agreed not to challenge the deal given Sanford's compliance commitments. The acquisition also serves as a financial lifeline for North Memorial, which has faced persistent losses in recent years.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: This merger creates what regulators call Minnesota's first fully integrated provider spanning both the Twin Cities metro and greater Minnesota — a significant shift in the state's healthcare landscape that could reshape access, competition, and care delivery for millions of patients.
