Aspirus Health plans expansion into Minnesota with new affiliation 

Aspirus Health said Wednesday it plans to expand its reach into Minnesota, after inking a letter of intent for St. Luke’s Duluth to affiliate with the Wausau-based health system.

The two hope to complete the process in early 2024, pending due diligence and regulatory review.

St. Luke’s runs two hospitals, two ambulatory surgery centers and more than 40 clinics. It also offers critical care, home health, hospice care, medical goods and pharmacies. It employs more than 3,000, including around 300 physicians and advanced practice clinicians.

If the deal moves forward, the health system would span northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The combined organization would run 19 hospitals and 130 outpatient locations. It would employ 14,000, including 1,300 doctors and advanced practice clinicians.

“We welcome the opportunity to expand into Minnesota with St. Luke’s and look forward to learning from one another and building upon our collective strengths to benefit our teams and patients,” Aspirus Health CEO Matthew Heywood said in a statement.

The system’s headquarters would be in Wausau, with a corporate office in Duluth.

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