Grand View Health System Moves Forward with Aspirus Affiliation Process

IRONWOOD, MI - Thursday, July 29, 2010 - The Board of Grand View Health System is committed to having an acute care hospital locally that serves the needs of our community. Since January of 2010, the board has been looking at an affiliation with a larger health care organization. In March, Grand View entered into an agreement to negotiate exclusively with Aspirus Health System.

Aspirus was chosen as a potential partner, because they share similar values, philosophy, and a dedication to quality. Aspirus also has experience and success with similar relationships with smaller hospitals in both Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

On July 26, 2010, in separate meetings, the Boards of Aspirus and Grand View Health System met to review documents for the affiliation to continue to move forward. Both boards approved documents including articles of incorporation, bylaws, and “member’s agreement” or operating agreement. If the affiliation does go through, (and everything right now looks like it will) the new name for Grand View Health System will be Aspirus Grand View.

Alignment with Aspirus is expected to afford Grand View greater sustainability, expanded services, more recruitment opportunities and access to top-notch visiting specialists. The negotiations continue to stay on the projected timeframe with a completion goal date of September 1, 2010.

Aspirus is a non-profit, community-directed health system based in Wausau, WI. They have worked with several other rural community hospitals and demonstrated their belief in keeping health care in the local community. With more than 4,200 employees, Aspirus serves 14 Wisconsin counties and some areas of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan through a series of affiliated hospitals; home health and hospice care; pharmacies; critical care and helicopter transport service; skilled nursing homes; a large volunteer corps; an affiliated physician network; philanthropic and research foundations; and an extensive clinics network. Grand View Health System is a 25-bed critical access hospital with two medical clinics, a surgical center, an eye center, walk-in clinic, therapy, home health and home care division.