St. Luke’s-Aspirus Affiliation Approved
The Duluth hospital will now be part of a 19-hospital group based in Wausau.
Both had been waiting since a letter of intent signed last summer, but Friday Duluth’s St. Luke’s Hospital became part of Wisconsin-based Aspirus Health.
Aspirus now has 19 hospitals. St. Luke’s will still have a corporate office in Duluth.
The group also has 130 outpatient locations and a system that now includes northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The organizations said the affiliation would bring more cost-effective services and advance the quality of health care.
In a press release, Matt Heywood, Aspirus Health President and CEO, said, “We are proud to welcome St. Luke’s and Lake View to the Aspirus family. Our collective strengths will improve health for our communities, and we look forward to what the future holds for our patients, staff and all who rely on our system for excellent care,” said Heywood.
St. Luke’s expressed its own enthusiasm. In a statement, Dr. Nicholas Van Deelen, St. Luke’s Co-President said,
“Today is a historic day. From our founding in 1881, St. Luke’s has built a legacy as a patient-focused organization above all else. We are proud to join Aspirus Health to advance services and access in our region. Our like-minded cultures and values are rooted in serving people.”
Although an agreement had been announced last summer, there were still steps remaining before it could be finalized.
One of those steps included a review by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. That office announced its approval in a press release Friday morning, before the medical organizations held a joint press conference.
The Attorney General’s office got involved as required by state law.
As part of a five-year oversight agreement with the AG’s office, Aspirus says it will honor all employment contracts, invest $300 million in projects over eight years, and take other steps to integrate and coordinate systems within twenty-four months.
