Aspirus Health and St. Lukes Duluth have announced the two organizations plan to partner with each other, with a goal of expanding healthcare across the Northland, serving residents of northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin, and the U.P. The affiliation is not a purchase, but a collaboration to grow healthcare across the area.The partnership will operate 19 hospitals and 130 outpatient locations, with 1,300 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians. The affiliation process is expected to be complete sometime in 2024.