by INFORUM
Sanford Health-MeritCare to drop ‘Meritcare’ from name
June 10, 2010 at 7:06 am in INFORUM
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A major rural health care provider in the United States is altering its name, as it moves to expand both in the U.S. and abroad.
Sioux Falls-based Sanford Health late last year merged with Fargo, N.D.-based MeritCare, forming Sanford Health-MeritCare. Officials say it is the nation’s largest not-for-profit rural health care provider. Continue reading…
Ireland and Belize?! While it’s admirable to reach out and help people, I would rather see them lower the cost of procedures here in Fargo, than to invest in some far flung corner of the world.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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First drops the name, then drop the people.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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What’s that about a new corporate headquarters in Sioux Falls? Didn’t they promise to keept those jobs in Fargo?
This seems to be playing out exactly as many predicted. Which is not how Meritcare was claiming it would. Disappointing but not surprising. I think it’s high time for The Forum to do a public audit of this company as they have for other local non-profits.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Funny that the worst kept secret in town just finally now got out. It has been know by many now for a long time that the MeritCare name would be dropped. It just proves this is no ‘merger of equals’ at all, but a buyout of MeritCare. Funny Bruce Furness sees nothing wrong with this, what was he and all the other ‘opponents’ of the merger paid to shut up about all of this now. A ‘unified name’ would be a fresh new name, not just drop MeritCare and move on. Don’t want to make cash cow mad so screw the history of a 100 year organization, just drop the name like it means nothing. It would be nice to see some real reporting on what is happening at MeritCare, all the re-organization, Sandford big wigs taking over many positions in Fargo, running the place from Sioux Falls. No raises, low morale, no certainty of having a job when they are consolidating many areas. Eventually it will be Fargo that pays for this, by lost jobs, it is inevitable when they consolidate services. You don’t need 2 of everything (accounting, finance, IT, etc…) and it is a good bet that the Fargo jobs will go first. What a shame after 100 years of service everyone is just content to let Sandford take over and remove everything there was about MeritCare.
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Unfortunately, I always figured the “unified” name would be Sanford which is just a slap in the face to the history of Meritcare. As a Meritcare employee, I am appalled that I had to hear it first from the media. Even now, with it being in the paper and on the radio, Meritare still has not sent any official announcement of the name change to it’s employees.
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Since Sanford has taken over Meritcare employees have had a pay freeze, an insurance change for the worse, and pension plan change for the worse. Everything seems very secretive. Most of the time the news gets info before the MeritCare employees do. They say stonger together but what does that mean. The way I see it as a employee as things have gotten worse and not better. Poor morale and feeling of stress makes it hard to focus on patient care. This new organization seems to be steam rolling over its employees. The pension we used to have did not cost the employee anything. Now Sanford wants the employee to put 5% in and they will match it. We did not even get a raise and they think we have money to put in to a retirement plan..? They know full well many will not be able to participate. Meritcare used to put in 6% regardless what the employee put in. So whom ever agreed to this merger in that it was suppose to be good for MeritCare and its employees must have had a self interest in this merger. As an employee I have a hard time finding the positives from this “merger”
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When are they going to build the new corporate office building in downtown Fargo,as they said they were going to do? Another $350 million dollar
Taj Ma Hal building in SW Fargo. When will the building stop and prices go down? Fargo, Moorhead could no support four hospitals in the past; so St.Johns and Morehead’s St. Ansgards closed down. Now Merit Care, Opps! Sanford will have three hospital in Fargo, plus Innovis and the VA Hospital. I have lived in Fargo for 62 years and I will still call Merit Care, “SAINT lUKE’S HOSPITAL” Those days hospitality, was still in the word hospital. When they treated you first and then asked for money or insurance. GREED, just like what caused the oil spill by BP! Cut corners, pay the help less and overcharge Medicare and Medicaid and you. When will they drop North from North Dakota?
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I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! When I first heard of the merger *cough* – buyout – *cough* I knew MeritCare was going to be left in the dust. Interesting post about what is really going on internally. I can’t say I am sorry to hear it and maybe Sanford will flush out the bad management that MeritCare supported. I learned the hard way how MC managers (with HR backing) promoted a very toxic environment encouraging employees to backstab and lie about colleagues. I have never before or since worked for such an unkind manager who promoted unkind behavior from her staff.
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“Everyone knows the name Sanford…” I didn’t! I plan on switching to Innovis.
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“History”…ummm…it was St. Lukes long before it was Meritcare. Meritcare history is what..20 years…big deal.
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Sanford said they wanted to generate excitement about the new organization. I would say they have succeeded but perhaps not how they were hoping. Are you reading this forum Mr. Krabbenhoft?
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