UnityPoint Health is abandoning plans to merge with South Dakota-based Sanford Health.
UnityPoint didn't offer a reason for dropping the tentative merger plans, but said in a statement they maintain "great respect" for Sanford.
“I’m tremendously proud of our organization and we will continue to work tirelessly to evaluate any avenue that improves the delivery of health care,” said Kevin Vermeer, president and CEO of UnityPoint Health in a statement. “Sanford is an exceptional organization with a bright future ahead. UnityPoint Health moves forward with strong roots and a fierce commitment to improving the experience of the people we serve.”
Sanford Health pinned the collapse of the $11 billion merger talks on UnityPoint.
“Our conversations regarding a potential merger with UnityPoint Health have ended. We were excited at the opportunity our combination would have provided to create a new health system of national prominence," said Sanford Health President and CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft in a statement. "The executive management teams and physicians worked diligently for 18 months to provide a merger recommendation to the boards. We are disappointed that the UnityPoint Health board failed to embrace the vision. Our focus now is on the patients and communities we serve and the 50,000 people working tirelessly to support them.”
UnityPoint runs Methodist, Proctor and Pekin hospitals in the greater Peoria area.
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