Final Listening Session Held on Proposed Merger of Fairview Health/Sanford Health

Members of the Minnesota Attorney General’s office held a final listening session Tuesday night in Grand Rapids regarding the proposed merger of Fairview Health and Sanford Health.  University of Minnesota Physicians C-E-O Bevan Yueh (BEV-un HEW) proposed more time to decide what part the Physician’s school would play.  A group of U of M medical students asked how the hospital would work around South Dakota’s restrictions on women’s health under Minnesota’s recent unrestricted law.  Sanford Health CEO Bill Gassen offered some promises:

“The affiliation agreement will continue to be governed by a local Minnesota-based board and the university will continue to remain independent, and they will make its own decisions for its future. Second, the proposed combination will not result in fewer options for gender-affirming care, and comprehensive women’s health care, including abortion care. Third, we have no plans to close Minnesota facilities or reduce access to care as a result of this merger.”

The public may still comment through the attorney general’s website.