More deals involving Minnesota hospitals! Tuesday the Minnesota Attorney General leaked that a possible takeover of the Fairview health system by the Sanford system was in discussions. Today, the Mayo Clinic announced that the Shriners Hospitals for Children -- Twin Cities would be the first pediatric hospital to join its national, collaborative Mayo Clinic Care Network.

The Shriners hospital in Minneapolis provides specialty orthopedic services to children from the upper Midwest and Canada regardless of their family's ability to pay. While it has already benefited from Mayo doctors who provide care or consultations to children at the hospital, Shriners and Mayo leaders said the new partnership would improve the level of care its children receive. Mayo specialists, for example, will now be available for remote "econsults" with Shriners doctors on their patients.

"Both Mayo Clinic and Shriners have a heart for kids, and we're excited to know that this new collaborative step together will increasingly benefit our young patients," said Dr. Christopher Moir, director of Mayo's Children's Center. "Combining the knowledge of Mayo Clinic and Shriners experts can only benefit outcomes for patients who are the most vulnerable among us."

Mayo's care network was formed in 2011 and now includes health care systems in 10 states and Puerto Rico. The affiliated hospitals receive Mayo consultation and expertise and Mayo broadens its national referral base for patients. Shriners is one of 22 Shriners hospitals in North America that provide care to children for advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.