Wheaton to join Ascension

Wheaton to join Ascension

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare’s southeast Wisconsin operations and related corporate services are joining Ascension, the nation’s largest Catholic health system, the organizations announced Thursday.  The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2016.

When the transaction closes, Ascension Wisconsin will comprise 27 hospitals, 150 clinics and $3.5 billion in operating revenues. Wheaton has eight hospitals in southeast Wisconsin. It will be joining forces with Ministry Health Care and Columbia St. Mary’s, both part of Ascension. All three are members of Integrated Health Network of Wisconsin.

“This decision came after a lengthy discernment process by the Sisters as we are aging and our numbers are getting smaller in the United States,” Sister Pat Norton, chair of the Sponsor Member Board for Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, said in a statement. “We wanted to transfer our corporate ministries while these ministries are healthy, fiscally sound and have a strong sense of mission and values.”

The transition in Wisconsin is planned to occur in coordination with Wheaton’s transfer of healthcare and housing ministries in Iowa, Illinois and Colorado.