Gundersen in merger talks with Green Bay’s Bellin hospital group

Two large Wisconsin hospital systems are working on a possible merger — Gundersen Health System in La Crosse and Bellin Health Systems in Green Bay.

The companies are described as being “deep into discussions” of a merger with a final agreement possible soon.

The proposed partnership would combine the resources of 11 hospitals and over 100 local clinics.

Gundersen is dominant in the western part of the state, while Bellin has hospitals in the Green Bay area.

Dr. Scott Rathgaber, the CEO at Gundersen, says combining with Bellin will allow the two companies to expand health care in the community they serve.

Both Gundersen and Bellin would keep their current headquarters, but would have a leadership board representing both hospitals, with Rathgaber as the entire system’s CEO.