MILWAUKEE, Wis. and NEENAH – [September 6, 2023] – Froedtert Health and ThedaCare announced today that their respective Boards have approved a definitive agreement outlining the terms of the planned combined health system, an important step in their process to combine the organizations to advance local health care for patients in Wisconsin.
Both organizations are moving forward with appropriate and thoughtful planning, with the goal to launch the combined health system at the start of the new year, pending customary pre-closing conditions, further Board approvals and regulatory approval.
“We are excited to continue the process of bringing our locally led health care organizations together, working in concert with the Medical College of Wisconsin,” said Cathy Jacobson, president and CEO of Froedtert Health. “Creating healthier communities throughout Wisconsin will take a lot of work as we move ahead, and we’re excited that we’re one step closer to embarking on this journey.”
“ThedaCare and Froedtert Health have long legacies of investing in their communities. Both organizations are committed to helping Wisconsinites live their best lives, and we believe that the best way to do that is by coming together,” said Imran A. Andrabi, MD, FAAFM, ThedaCare president and CEO. “We look forward to further defining how we will combine our organizations to make health care better for everyone we are privileged to serve.”
Leaders from both organizations reinforced the goals and commitments outlined in the letter of intent, announced earlier this year, and they continue to drive the process of bringing Froedtert Health and ThedaCare together. The combined organization will:
- Help the people of Wisconsin live their unique, best lives, providing better and more seamless access to comprehensive, high-quality care when people are sick or injured and serving as a true partner in health to help keep people well.
- Be based in Wisconsin, led by people who live and work in Wisconsin and governed by a parent board composed of current board members from both organizations including two board members who serve on both the boards of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Health concurrently.
- Deliver real value and bring innovative solutions for the health care needs of its state and communities, including addressing health equity, health disparities and more, with a clear commitment to urban, suburban and rural areas.
- Honor and grow the strong legacies of clinical excellence and community commitment that are the shared hallmarks of each organization. The trusted brand names of the existing organizations will continue.
- Work in concert with partners at the Medical College of Wisconsin to bring together every aspect of care, including primary care, specialty care, the most advanced levels of care, clinical trials, graduate medical education and more.
“Our Board is confident that Froedtert Health and ThedaCare is the right combination, and through our conversations over the last few months, we remain energized by the possibilities that exist to provide the best and most accessible care for the people of Wisconsin,” said Jim Kotek, chair of ThedaCare’s Board of Trustees.
“Our goal is to make a lasting impact on the future of health and health care in our state,” said Jud Snyder, chair of Froedtert Health’s Board of Directors. “This milestone represents important progress towards achieving that goal, and we are excited to have reached this point.”
As previously shared in the announced letter of intent, following the launch of the combined health system, Froedtert Health President and CEO Cathy Jacobson will initially assume the role of CEO, and ThedaCare President and CEO Imran A. Andrabi, MD, FAAFM will serve as president. After a six-month transition period, Cathy will retire from the organization with a legacy of steadfast and thoughtful leadership. Upon Cathy’s retirement, Dr. Andrabi will assume the role of president and CEO of the combined organization. The initial chair and vice chair roles of the Board and committees will be equally shared between the parties—the initial board chair will be Jud Snyder, Froedtert Health’s current board chair, and the initial vice chair will be Jim Kotek, ThedaCare’s current board chair.
As the process moves forward, patients can continue seeing their doctor and accessing the services they always have. The community can continue to visit WIcareWIroots.com, an informational site dedicated to this process, to get the latest updates on the combination.
About Froedtert Health
Froedtert Health is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based, integrated health care system providing a variety of health-related services, including hospitals and health centers, home care, laboratory, health insurance, employer health services and workplace clinics, and digital health solutions.
Froedtert Health partners with the Medical College of Wisconsin to form the Froedtert & MCW health network supporting a shared mission of patient care, innovation, medical research and education. Our health network operates eastern Wisconsin’s only academic medical center and adult Level I Trauma Center at Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, an internationally recognized training and research center engaged in thousands of clinical trials and studies. The Froedtert & MCW health network, which includes 10 hospital locations, more than 2,100 physicians and more than 45 health centers and clinics, draws patients from throughout the Midwest and the nation. In our most recent fiscal year, outpatient visits were more than 1.7 million, inpatient admissions to our hospitals exceeded 58,000 and visits to our network physicians totaled more than 1.17 million.
About ThedaCare
For nearly 114 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 650,000 residents in 17 counties and employs approximately 7,000 providers and team members. ThedaCare has 180 points of care, including eight hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their unique, best lives. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand needs, finding solutions together, and encouraging health awareness and action.