Strengthening
Health Care Together
Update: April 3, 2023
On April 3rd, Fairview and Sanford Health announced plans to extend their target closing date for their merger, following a request from the Minnesota Office of the Attorney General for additional time to complete its review and 90 days’ notice prior to close.
In the interest of ongoing cooperation with the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, we have extended the target closing date for our merger until after May 31st and agreed to their request for 90 days’ notice prior to closing at a future date. We respect the thorough review underway by the Attorney General’s Office and are honoring their request for more time as we continue work toward finalizing our combination. We remain confident in the benefits of the merger for our people, patients and communities and our shared vision to advance world-class health care for all we serve.
Sanford Health and Fairview Health Services announced a Letter of Intent to create a combined system that is uniquely positioned to provide more people access to high-quality, equitable health care; accelerate population health and value-based care; and drive clinical innovation for the benefit of rural and urban communities.
Together, we will extend the reach of high-quality care and services to more people across the Midwest, with 56 hospitals and approximately 600 care sites, an established health plan, a specialty pharmacy and pharmacy benefit manager and growing Medicare Advantage options.
Both Fairview Health Services and Sanford Health will remain nonprofit entities, each with their own regional presence, leadership and regional boards in the markets they serve. Upon close of the transaction, the name of the parent company will be Sanford Health. The transaction is subject to antitrust and other necessary reviews and closing conditions. Read the full press release to learn more.
James Hereford,
President & CEO
Fairview Health Services
James Hereford is President and CEO of Fairview Health Services, a leading non-profit integrated health system serving Minnesota for more than 150 years. James joined in 2016 having previously served as Chief Operations Officer at Stanford Health Care. Under James’ leadership, Fairview is now one of the most comprehensive and geographically accessible systems in the state, with 10 hospitals serving the greater Twin Cities metro area and north-central Minnesota. James is dedicated to ensuring Fairview Health Services continues to advance its vision of a healthier future for the patients and communities it serves.
Bill Gassen,
President & CEO
Sanford Health
Bill Gassen is President and CEO of Sanford Health, an integrated health system with a deep commitment to serving communities across the Dakotas and the Midwest. Since joining the organization in 2012, through his appointment to President and CEO in 2020, Bill has overseen transformational growth as well as groundbreaking initiatives to expand access to high-quality care for rural and underserved communities. He previously served in a number of leadership roles for the organization, including chief administrative officer, chief human resources officer and corporate counsel, and prior to that practiced health care law. Bill is focused on driving efforts to make care more accessible, affordable and equitable for people no matter where they live.
Strengthening Care Together Through Community
As nonprofit healthcare organizations, Fairview and Sanford Health are deeply engaged with the community and local organizations to build trust and understand the health needs of the people we serve. These relationships help inform where we invest time and resources in our communities — from food access to free vaccination clinics to culturally-responsive care and services. Learn more about our shared valued of community.