Allina Health to be acquired by California-based nonprofit health system

Healthcare unions representing thousands of Allina Health workers accidental they person concerns astir contracts and pension plans aft California-based Sutter Health announced plans to get the Minnesota wellness system.

Sutter announced plans this week to get Minnesota-based Allina successful a woody that would make a healthcare strategy spanning 3 states and serving 5 cardinal patients.

Sutter Health, a nonprofit based successful Sacramento, said it intends to put much than $2 cardinal successful Minnesota and Wisconsin if the woody is approved by regulators. Allina Health, based successful Minneapolis, would clasp its president, committee of directors and brand, according to the announcement.

The combined strategy would run 39 hospitals and 400 attraction sites crossed California, Minnesota and Wisconsin, with 18,000 physicians and 88,000 employees. Sutter operates 27 hospitals successful California, portion Allina operates 12.

The 2 healthcare systems person a combined gross of much than $25 billion.

Sutter said it plans to found ambulatory and specialty attraction sites successful Minnesota and enlistee much physicians. The enactment besides said it intends to usage artificial quality to "reduce administrative burdens."

"We are incredibly excited for the accidental to harness the corporate spot of our 2 mission-driven organizations to marque a quality successful the lives of our patients, communities and attraction teams," said Lisa Shannon, president and main enforcement serviceman of Allina Health.

Allina said patients volition inactive person entree to the aforesaid doctors, appointments and care.

Healthcare unions representing thousands of Allina workers expressed concerns astir the deal.

SEIU Healthcare and the Doctors Council said they person "concerns astir what this means for employees, our contracts and our pension plans."

"A cardinal contented is ensuring that charitable assets built up by Minnesotans are not diverted retired of authorities to a tiny fistful of executives for idiosyncratic enrichment," SEIU said successful a statement. "We telephone connected Attorney General Keith Ellison to supply each due enquiry and oversight into this projected merger and to guarantee the interests of Minnesota's workers and patients are protected."

Dr. Matt Hoffman of the Doctors Council SEIU said healthcare workers were not consulted astir the decision.

"I deliberation a batch of it is the fearfulness of the unknown, is what volition this look like? Certainly, the radical connected the crushed that are delivering attraction to patients weren't consulted successful this decision. Healthcare workers' concerns weren't taken into account," Hoffman said.

The Minnesota Nurses Association besides raised concerns.

"The projected acquisition raises superior concerns astir however this could interaction national members' contracts and benefits arsenic good arsenic diligent care," the Minnesota Nurses Association said successful a statement. "We telephone connected infirmary enactment to enactment successful bully religion with the Minnesota Attorney General's bureau and to comply with 2023 authorities regulating healthcare mergers and acquisitions. This volition guarantee afloat transparency passim this process and accountability to workers and the public."

Sutter and Allina said they program to adjacent the woody by the extremity of the year, pending regulatory approval.

Aki Nace contributed to this report.

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• Minnesota
• California
• Health Care