By HFT Staff

Sanford Health and North Memorial Health announced the organizations have finalized their partnership and are now one nonprofit integrated health system operating as Sanford Health. The combined organization will preserve Robbinsdale Hospital and its role as a Level I Trauma Center. 

North Memorial Health now joins Sanford Health as the anchor of a new Twin Cities care delivery region, led by CEO Trevor Sawallish and his leadership team with oversight from a local board of directors, consistent with Sanford Health’s regional governance model.  Sanford Health President and CEO Bill Gassen will continue to serve as president and chief executive officer of the combined organization, alongside the current executive team. 

The combined organization includes 61,000 employees and serves approximately 2.5 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest, with a network of 60 hospitals including three Level 1 trauma centers, 310 clinic locations, 60 pharmacy and retail chain locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,950 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. 

Two North Memorial Heath board members will transition to serve on the Sanford Health Board of Trustees, the governing body of the combined system. They include Charlie Weaver, a seasoned executive, attorney and public policy leader who served for 20 years as executive director of the Minnesota Business Partnership, and Ramon Pastrano, Doctor of Ministry, an organizational leadership consultant, entrepreneur and U.S. Navy veteran with more than 30 years of experience spanning the healthcare, pharmaceutical and nonprofit sectors.