Aurora Health Care has withdrawn its proposal to SynergyHealth. That proposal would've seen an affiliation between the two health systems. I suspect it was withdrawn because Aurora knew it would not be selected by the SynergyHealth Board during its deliberations this week, and preferred to not be seen as a 'loser' in this quest. Remember that a large group of that system's doctors had taken a public anti-Aurora position last year.
That leaves, apparently, the proposal from Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and the proposal from what has now become known as Progressive Healthcare (the new entity being formed by Columbia St.Mary's and Froedert & Community Health).
It seems that the likely result of the SynergyHealth Board review will be the selection of the Progressive Health proposal. The geography makes sense since the markets are contiguous. Progressive Health also has created its structure to be attractive to other healthcare entities that might be seeking an affiliation. All other things being reasonably equal, that is my bet.
The SynergyHealth decision is still expected by January 31st., so we'll soon know the outcome.
