GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Two health care systems are discussing the idea of joining sides and merging into one.

Bellin Health and Gundersen Health System are in serious talks about joining sides to strengthen the personal and local medical care and experience that they’re both known for in their communities.

If the two merge, the health system will offer access to more resources and a broader network of services that are expected to improve care for the patients and communities they serve.

Gundersen and Bellin Health are two of the Upper Midwest’s most respected health systems with patients in Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, southeast Minnesota, and northeast Iowa.

“As health systems, our missions, visions, and values complement each other, and the people and communities we serve are at the core of the care and service we provide,” said Bellin Health President & CEO Chris Woleske. “Joining together would allow us to maintain and enhance the top-quality care to which our patients and communities are accustomed — and ensure that care endures for another 100 years and beyond.”

In the two health systems, patients will still see the same healthcare providers they know and trust but will be given a much broader network of top-tier clinical services, shared provider expertise, state-of-the-art technology, and digital healthcare tools that bring virtual care options into homes and workplaces.

“Our health systems have been successfully fulfilling our missions, but we know that we will thrive and best serve our patients and communities by finding partners with shared missions and strategic visions,” Dr. Rathgaber said. “We are proud and fortunate to have found such a partner in Bellin Health.”

Pending the final agreement, the merger would maintain both systems’ current headquarters, with Bellin Health in Green Bay and Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.

For more information on the potential merger, you can visit bellin.org or gundersenhealth.org.