Gundersen and Mayo Health System officials continue their talks

Gundersen Lutheran has made an initial offer to Mayo Clinic Health System to have Gundersen Lutheran Health Plan be an in-network provider at Winneshiek Medical Center.

Franciscan Health Systems Chief Administrative Officer Ron Packowski told WMC Board members Wednesday the e-mail from Gundersen was "very general in nature."  Packowski says several important questions were left unanswered by Gundersen, especially whether Gundersen would guarantee "parity" in Winneshiek County--meaning Gundersen Lutheran Health Plan wouldn't charge its customer more if they went to the Decorah Clinic.

Meanwhile, Winneshiek Medical Center board member Dr. David Gehling is asking Gundersen Decorah Clinic manager Trudy Belay to contact Gundersen Lutheran officials in La Crosse to ask them to decrease use of the mobile MRI unit in Decorah and send some of those patients to Winneshiek Medical Center instead.

Gehling says he wants to work to bring harmony between Gundersen and Mayo in Winneshiek County--and the change in MRI usage by Gundersen would be "an olive branch in our direction."

The hospital board approved a motion to have another discussion about relations between Gundersen and Mayo in 60 days.