FARGO - In a press release issued this morning, Innovis Health said it is terminating its team physician partnership with North Dakota State University athletics, citing NDSU's discussions with rival Sanford Health-MeritCare.
The full press release reads:
"Over the past few months, Innovis Health has been meeting with Gene Taylor, NDSU Athletic Director, to discuss the current and future "team physician" relationship between the NDSU Athletic Department and Innovis Health. As referenced in recent Fargo Forum articles, NDSU and Sanford Health-MeritCare are in discussions on that health system's financial support for the Bison Sport Arena remodeling project and a related sports medicine partnership. In concert with these announcements, Mr. Taylor had informed Innovis Health leadership that NDSU would be ending their almost 50-year relationship with Innovis Health no later than the end of the current agreement's term in August 2014.
"Dakota Clinic, and now Innovis Health, began providing 'team physician' services to NDSU athletics in the early 1960's. In 1983, the 'handshake' agreement was legally formalized between the two organizations, and over the intervening years expanded from team physician services to also include Innovis Health providing athletic training staff, physical therapy services, training equipment and scholarships to NDSU.
"In response to NDSU's announced future direction, Innovis Health leadership decided that to continue the current relationship for any period of time, knowing its eventual outcome, would be completely counter to the spirit that the decades-long relationship had been founded upon. Therefore, Innovis Health has elected to terminate their almost 50 year relationship with NDSU effective June 30, 2010.
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"Commenting on this decision, Dr. Greg Glasner, Innovis Health President, stated, "it is with deep disappointment that Innovis Health makes this announcement after decades of commitment and investment of personnel, medical services, equipment and scholarships to the NDSU student athletes and sports programs". He added Innovis Health will be working with NDSU Athletic Department training staff to transition out of the program over the next 60 days."
