Sanford Health acquires stake in German hospital system

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Sanford Health’s German subsidiary has acquired a minority position in ISAR Klinik II AG, which includes Isar Klinikum, a hospital located in Munich, Germany. This represents the first investment in an international hospital by the Sanford Health system.

ISAR Klinikum is a top-rated hospital in the Bavarian region of Germany, according to Focus Magazine. The hospital provides a full range of services, including a center for regenerative medicine.

Kelby Krabbenhoft, president and CEO of Sanford Health, will serve as a member of ISAR Klinik II AG’s board of directors.

“This is another significant step in our goal to advance health care around the world,” said Krabbenhoft. “ISAR’s ground-breaking procedures and medical technology are well-known, and we are eager to strengthen our relationship with the hospital and its leaders to bring that knowledge and care to our patients.”

The founder of ISAR Klinikum, Eckhard Alt, M.D., Ph.D., oversees The Sanford Project as its Todd and Linda Broin Distinguished Professor and Chair. The Sanford Project is a cornerstone initiative of Sanford Research that is looking for a type 1 diabetes cure.

“Advancements in medicine and patient care come when knowledge is shared,” said Alt. “As we look to the future and our stronger relationship with Sanford Health, we are excited to further unite our work and spread it to more parts of the world.”

Since 2015, Sanford Health has arranged for U.S. patients to travel to ISAR Klinikum to gain access to stem cell therapies allowed in Germany. Sanford has also sent 11 physicians to the hospital to better understand the application and impact of these therapies.  The physicians’ experience has contributed to Sanford Health’s FDA-approved rotator cuff clinical trial in the United States.

About Sanford Health
Sanford Health is one of the largest health care systems in the nation, with 44 hospitals and nearly 300 clinics in nine states and four countries. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and serving the Upper Midwest, with nearly 1,400 physicians, Sanford Health is dedicated to several initiatives, including global children’s clinics, genomic medicine and specialized centers researching cures for type 1 diabetes, breast cancer and other diseases. Sanford Health has 28,000 employees, making it the largest employer in the Dakotas. Nearly $1 billion in gifts from philanthropist Denny Sanford over the past decade have transformed how Sanford Health can improve the human condition. For information, visit sanfordhealth.org.