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The University of Minnesota on Monday removed interim vice president for clinical operations Dr. Greg Beilman from his university role amid ongoing tensions over an agreement to fund the state’s largest medical school. 

Beilman was appointed to this position at the same time that the University of Minnesota Physicians, a nonprofit clinical practice for the faculty of the University of Minnesota Medical School, named him as interim CEO.

In an email sent Monday evening to all employees and physicians at UMP, Dr. Beilman announced that he was relieved of his interim duties as the university’s vice president for clinical operations, effective immediately.

The university said in a statement that “the Board of Regents at its Nov. 13 meeting unanimously passed a resolution directing the University to address concerns resulting from the recent actions of M Physicians leadership involving individuals serving in dual roles at the University of Minnesota and M Physicians. These personnel changes were in direct response to those concerns and will help ensure the integrity of ongoing negotiations between the University, M Physicians and Fairview Health Services.”

Last week, the physicians group and Fairview Health Services announced they had reached an agreement slated to begin on Jan. 1, 2027, to support physician training and fund the medical school for the next 10 years.

University officials criticized this proposal, claiming they were excluded from negotiations, while Attorney General Keith Ellison and representatives from Fairview and UMP worked on the agreement without involving the university’s board of regents.

Both Fairview and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office told MPR News last week that this agreement does not mark the end of negotiations between the university and other potential partners, and the attorney general has requested that they return to the negotiating table.

Faculty members from M Physicians attended the U of M Board of Regents meeting last Thursday. They said in a statement that they will continue to oversee their own operations and administration and are eager to maintain discussions with the university.

“UMP’s new agreement with Fairview is a clinical agreement, like the 270 M Physicians has in place with 46 clinical partners across the state and region. Like all of our clinical agreements, M Physicians’ engagement in this process with Fairview is legal and consistent with our duties in service to the University of Minnesota. It is not a breach of M Physicians' affiliation,” said Connor Myhre, manager of communications for UMP.

Dr. Beilman will continue to serve as interim CEO for UMP, which is governed by its own Board of Directors, and will maintain his faculty appointments at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

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Erica Zurek

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The University of Minnesota ended interim VP Dr. Greg Beilman’s appointment amid ongoing negotiations with Fairview Health Services and University of Minnesota Physicians.

Exterior of the U of M health sciences building

University of Minnesota ends clinical operations VP role amid disputes over Fairview agreement

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