Merrill, Rhinelander entities also part of acquisition announced in January

For the Tomahawk Leader

WISCONSIN – Aspirus Health on Sunday, Aug. 1 assumed ownership from Ascension Wisconsin of seven hospitals, 21 physician clinics, and air and ground medical transport services located in north and central Wisconsin.

Heywood

Among the acquisitions was Sacred Heart Hospital in Tomahawk.

“This acquisition will help Aspirus provide better and more connected care to thousands and thousands more people in our region,” said Matthew Heywood, President and CEO of Aspirus Health. “We are mission-driven to provide small communities with convenient access to compassionate, excellent care. We are excited to work with our new team members to serve more communities like the ones we call home.”

Entities

The transition includes air and ground medical transport services, 21 physician clinics, and the following Wisconsin hospitals:

• Sacred Heart Hospital in Tomahawk
• Good Samaritan Hospital in Merrill
• Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander
• Eagle River Hospital in Eagle River
• Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff
• Our Lady of Victory Hospital in Stanley
• Michael’s Hospital in Stevens Point

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  Photos courtesy of Aspirus

Naming and patient support

In order to avoid confusion, the names of the hospitals and clinics will remain the same for the immediate future, although on site signs will indicate that they have joined Aspirus Health, Aspirus said, noting that all signs and materials will reflect the new Aspirus facility names by Dec. 2021.

“Transitioning Ascension patients are encouraged to direct any questions or suggestions to their care provider, which will not change as a result of this acquisition,” Aspirus stated. “For information about individual medical records, appointments or other issues, a robust help site is available at www.aspirus.org.”

‘Journey and commitment’

Aspirus said the planned transfer, first announced as a signed agreement in Jan. 2021, was subject to regulatory and canonical requirements to complete the acquisition.

“All approvals are now in hand, and today, 2,700 new team members report to work as a part of the Aspirus Health system,” Aspirus stated. “Since Jan. 2021, a team made up of Aspirus and Ascension representatives has worked to ensure all aspects of the transition are addressed.”

“I’d like to thank the hundreds of people within Aspirus and Ascension Wisconsin who worked with focus and energy to realize this vision,” Heywood said. “We are here because of their effort and shared commitment to doing what is right for our patients.”

Jenny Redman-Schell, President of Aspirus Medical Group, joined Heywood in sharing the importance of local care.

“We firmly believe strong local health care contributes to thriving rural communities, so this is an exciting day for our teams and our patients,” said Redman-Schell, who oversees all clinics. “Our strength hinges on securing the talent, the facilities and alignment to serve every corner of our service area. Today, that has increased significantly.”

“While Aspirus is excited about the future, patients and the community should not experience immediate changes,” Aspirus stated. “Aspirus plans to engage its new team members and key local stakeholders to learn about each community’s culture and health needs. Over time, Aspirus will invest resources and expertise.”