UnityPoint, Sanford Health merger abruptly halted

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s UnityPoint Health and South Dakota-based Sanford Health have abruptly halted plans to merge.

No reason for the decision was given, but Sanford CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft said in a statement that those who worked on the merger “are disappointed that the UnityPoint Health board failed to embrace the vision.”

In June, the two regional health care systems announced they would be combining to create one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country, with more than $11 billion in operating revenue.

The merged organization would have employed more than 83,000 staff and 2,600 physicians.

UnityPoint operates 32 hospitals and has relationships with 280 physician clinics throughout Iowa, western Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Sanford Heath’s organization includes 44 hospitals, 1,400 physicians and more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations in 26 states and nine countries.