Sanford <a href="https://healthylife7.com/formaldehyde-uses-health-risks/” title=”Formaldehyde: Uses & Health Risks”>Health and North Memorial Health announced Tuesday that they completed the merger that has been in the works for months
In the announcement, the now combined health system says it will “preserve essential services at Robbinsdale Hospital while building a stronger rural-urban network of care” across the state
“Healthcare is changing rapidly and meeting the needs of Minnesota’s communities will require us to think differently about how we deliver care and work together,” said Bill Gassen, president and chief executive officer of South Dakota-based Sanford Health. “That’s what this partnership makes possible. By bringing together North Memorial Health’s deep roots in the communities it serves with Sanford Health’s capabilities as an integrated health system, we’ll strengthen and modernize Robbinsdale Hospital while building a more connected healthcare system that better serves patients across rural and urban Minnesota.”
“North Memorial Health has always been focused on providing exceptional care for the patients and communities who count on us,” said Trevor Sawallish, chief executive officer of North Memorial Health. “Today marks the beginning of our next chapter. Our focus is on turning commitments into action — protecting the care our communities rely on, supporting the people who deliver it every day and making meaningful investments that will allow us to serve Minnesotans for generations to come.”
The merger comes days after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced his office struck a 10-year oversight agreement with the health system
Ellison says the deal includes a $600 million investment to ensure a “commitment to maintain core services” at North Memorial Health hospital in Robbinsdale, as well as at its Maple Grove hospitals. Sanford also agreed to a $15 million investment in “supporting small and independent rural healthcare providers” in Minnesota
Other pledges from Sanford noted in the agreement include:
- Protection of mental health, reproductive and gender-affirming care at the Robbinsdale hospital.
- Protection of North Memorial employees’ jobs, benefits and union contracts.
- Maintaining an office in Minnesota, along with recruiting from state institutions.
- Maintaining a commitment to charity care, community benefit and financial assistance programs.
- Continuing North Memorial’s participation in Medicare and Medicaid.
Healthcare leaders are calling it a win for North Memorial employees and patients. When the agreement was first announced in May, Twin Cities residents and faith leaders spoke up to voice concerns that hospital prices would increase and access to some health care would be lost, especially in communities of need
Ellison’s office will provide oversight for the next decade, but Sanford Health president and CEO Bill Gassen is hopeful this partnership will last for decades to come.
The featured video is from Aug. 28, 2026.
