Commitment to our patients and communities remains unchanged as Fairview, University of Minnesota, sign new letter of intent
For the last several months, Fairview Health Services, the University of Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Physicians have been working in earnest on the future of our partnership.
We have learned much about how best to fulfill our missions and serve Minnesotans. We also agree we must continue to evolve how we collaborate to meet the current and future needs of our patients and community.
We are now taking a critical first step toward a new and reimagined relationship. The three partners have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) outlining the University of Minnesota’s intent to purchase four key sites located on or around the University of Minnesota campus, including:
- M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center – East Bank
- M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center – West Bank
- M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital
- M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center – Minneapolis (at 909 Fulton St.)
No other M Health Fairview locations are included in the Letter of Intent. This multi-year, multi-phased approach is a significant undertaking, with a comprehensive plan and a transition period to ensure continuity of our world-class care. The University of Minnesota aims to complete the full purchase of these facilities by Dec. 31, 2027.
What does this mean for you, our patients?
Nothing about your care or care team changes as a result of the Letter of Intent or these ongoing discussions. Your care is our top priority, and your care teams remain committed to ensuring you have the best-possible experience and receive the high level of care you expect. You are the center of all the decisions we make, and we are committed to keeping you informed as conversations between Fairview, University of Minnesota Physicians, and the University of Minnesota progress.
What happens next?
Fairview and the University value their partnership and are committed to working together for the health and wellbeing of Minnesotans. We will continue to operate as M Health Fairview and M Health Fairview Pediatrics while we work to forge a new partnership.
In the coming months, the University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Physicians and Fairview Health Services will continue work on new definitive agreements by Sept. 30, 2024, outlining how we will work together in the years to come.
"This is a critical first step towards a new and reimagined relationship that will better meet the current and future needs of our patients and our community," said Fairview Health Services President and CEO James Hereford. "Our patients and our employees, who contribute significantly to our success, will remain the heart of our organizations. Today's announcement is designed to provide clarity on our collaborative path forward."
Last year, the University of Minnesota announced its desire to purchase the four academic health facilities on and around the Twin Cities campus from Fairview Health Services as part of its five-point plan for the future of academic health. The decision to sell the academic facilities to the University of Minnesota is in support of that vision for their future. Fairview Health Services leaders are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and remain committed to the mission of making a positive impact on the health and well-being of the community. From the start of our partnership in 1997 and through creation of our current Joint Clinical Enterprise (JCE) in 2018, all three organizations have worked together tirelessly to improve the health of all Minnesotans.
"We are grateful for the collaboration and shared successes we have experienced with Fairview Health Services over the years — M Health Fairview patients and all Minnesotans are better off because of the work of our talented teams." said University of Minnesota Interim President Jeff Ettinger. "We also agree we will need to step up in new and different ways for the future health of our state. This LOI, and the discussions ahead of us, are critical steps toward more fully integrating education, research, and patient care to better serve Minnesotans statewide."
