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CASE

Can This Relationship Be Saved? The Midwestern Medical Group’s Integration Journey
Introduction

5

On a snowy January evening, the Midwestern Medical Group (MMG) management team held a retirement party for Judith Olsen, MMG president. During the evening, Olsen reflected back on the years she had worked for MMG with mixed feelings about her experience. Over the course of their eight-year integration
This case was written by Rhonda Engleman and Jisun Yu under the supervision of Professor Andrew H. Van de Ven of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. We also appreciate the editorial assistance of Julie Trupke and useful comments of Gyewan Moon and Margaret Schomaker. We gratefully acknowledge Stuart Bunderson, Shawn Lofstrom, Russel Rogers, Frank Schultz, and Jeffery Thompson who assisted in collecting data during this eightyear longitudinal study of MMG’s integration journey. The case was prepared to promote class discussion and learning. It was not designed to illustrate either effective or ineffective management. Used with permission from Rhonda Engleman.

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C A S E 5 : M I D W E S T E R N M E D I C A L G R O U P ’ S I N T E G R AT I O N J O U R N E Y

journey within the Midwestern Health System (Midwestern), the MMG management team experienced many encouraging moments, achievements, and successes as well as many struggles, disappointments, and conflicts. She was scheduled to meet with the board chair the next day to talk about the major issues her successor would need to address as president of MMG. Knowing this might be her last contribution to MMG before she retired, Olsen wanted to provide the board chair with helpful advice to pass on to her successor. Olsen pondered the historical events in MMG’s integration journey as she thought about what to say in that meeting. (See Exhibit 5/1