NorthShore University HealthSystem President and CEO Mark Neaman says that Northwestern Memorial HealthCare wants the Federal Trade Commission to win the lawsuit that the FTC brought to block the merger between Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore  and Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care.

Mr. Neaman delivered this news while on the witness stand April 14 in an antitrust hearing over the proposed Advocate-NorthShore merger.

Mr. Neaman testified that he met with Northwestern President and CEO Dean Harrison in late January at the Chicago Club. According to Mr. Neaman, Mr. Harrison said he wanted the FTC to prevail in its lawsuit to stop the merger because Northwestern would like  a merger with NorthShore itself.

Mr. Neaman  suggested that the FTC would probably block a potential NorthShore-Northwestern merger. “{Mr Harrison} told me not to worry about the FTC. He said Northwestern had a way to get around the FTC.”