St. Mary's Hospital parent firm plans to acquire Dean Health System (Madison.com)

Dean Clinic's board of directors recommended Monday that Madison-based Dean Health System be acquired by SSM Health Care, the St. Louis-based health system that owns St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison.  Dean’s shareholders will vote on the recommendation next month, Dean spokeswoman Kim Sveum said Tuesday. The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and other regulators also must approve the deal. Dean, which is mostly doctor-owned, and St. Mary's have collaborated for decades. They started talking more than a year ago about a merger or acquisition, in part because of health care reform.  Their agreement to merge could be finalized as soon as this summer, Dean and SSM said in a news release. The terms will not be disclosed, they said.

Read the full article at:  http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/st-mary-s-hospital-parent-firm-plans-to-acquire-dean/article_b7d15f76-a6a2-11e2-8002-0019bb2963f4.html

Blogger's Note: This may clear the way for additional improvements in Sun Prairie at St. Mary's Emergency Center campus.  Watch for more news on this in the coming months.