Marshfield Clinic, Essentia Health Explore Merger

Minnesota-based Essentia Health and Wisconsin-based Marshfield Clinic Health System are exploring forming an integrated regional health system across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and North Dakota.

Marshfield describes itself as one of the largest private, multispecialty group practices in the United States, with physicians in more than 170 specialties and subspecialties in more than 50 Wisconsin locations.

With complementary geographies and capabilities, the two health systems have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate how they might merge. A combined organization would feature a network of 3,800 providers serving more than 2 million people in rural and mid-urban communities through more than 150 sites of care, including 25 hospitals.

The memorandum of understanding signed by the two organizations is the first step toward a potential merger.

“I have known and admired the work of Marshfield Clinic for more than 30 years,” said Essentia CEO David Herman, M.D., in a statement. “I have always appreciated their ability to advance the well-being of the communities they serve. I am truly excited to work together for the benefit of our patients and our colleagues. Through a new partnership, we can support the care models, services, research and technologies to ensure sustainable and thriving rural health care,” he says.

In a statement, Marshfield Clinic Health System CEO Susan Turney, M.D., said that when she looks at Duluth, Minn.-based Essentia, she sees “an organization with world-class expertise that complements our own. And I see their long, rich history of serving communities with a mission very similar to ours at Marshfield Clinic Health System.”