By HFT Staff

Sutter Health and Allina Health have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for Allina Health to join the California-based system, which would create a combined nonprofit health system that will deliver innovative solutions to improve access and affordability and reimagine exceptional care for patients and communities. 

Allina Health would become the Upper Midwest Division of Sutter Health, maintaining the Allina Health name, brand and regional headquarters in Minneapolis. Sutter Health would maintain its headquarters in Northern California. Warner Thomas would continue to lead the combined system as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sutter Health, with Lisa Shannon remaining President and Chief Executive Officer of Allina Health as it becomes Sutter Health’s Upper Midwest Division. 

Upon closing, the organization will have a combined footprint across Northern and Central California, Minnesota and Wisconsin, with 18,000 aligned physicians and 88,000 team members serving more than five million patients. The system will include 39 hospitals and more than 400 primary and specialty care sites, with 12 nationally ranked specialties. 

Over the coming weeks and months Sutter Health and Allina Health will complete due diligence and finalize the terms and conditions of the proposed transaction prior to entering into a definitive agreement. The organizations anticipate closing by the end of 2026, pending regulatory approval.