Gundersen versus Mayo feud boils up again briefly at WMC Board meeting

Mayo Clinic and Gundersen Clinic physicians who work in Decorah will hold a joint meeting soon.

The get together will give them a chance to sit down and talk after one more chapter of the feud between the two organizations was written Wednesday night.

Gundersen Clinic--Decorah physician Dr. Sherri Schilling told the Winneshiek Medical Center Board of Trustees that she was "appalled" to pick up an informational folder for the Winneshiek Medical Center Obstetrics Department to discover that the folder promoted Mayo Clinic, but not Gundersen Clinic.

Four Gundersen physicians provide services to the hospital's obstetrics department and four Mayo Clinic physicians.

"Nowhere on this does it say 'Gundersen,'" said Schilling, holding up the folder.

Hospital board members reassured Schilling that Gundersen doctors and patients are welcome at the hospital.  "They need to know they're welcome here," said trustee Sherri Gribble.

Trustee Arlene Houlihan said the oversight "wasn't a deliberate thing."  Hospital officials reviewed the folder and said it provided general patient information and did not list Mayo or Gundersen doctors.  The folder used to contain the general information had both the Winneshiek Medical Center logo and the Mayo Clinic logo, which is what Dr. Schilling objected to.