There will be no merger between Iowa-based UnityPoint Health and South Dakota-based Sanford Health.
Executives abruptly announced today that the merger which had been in the works since June was called off. A merger would have created one of the country’s largest non-profit health systems.
UnityPoint is based in Des Moines. UnityPoint’s president said after months of consideration, the two organizations decided it was best for each to maintain their existing structures. UnityPoint operates 32 hospitals and has relationships with 280 physicians clinics in Iowa, western Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
Sanford is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and operates 44 hospitals and more than 200 clinics. Last year, Sanford merged with Good Samaritn, an elder care organization, and now operates in 26 states and nine other countries.
UnityPoint’s roots date back to 1993, when Iowa Methodist and Lutheran Hospitals in Des Moines joined under the name Iowa Health System. The system was rebranded as UnityPoint in 2013.