Nebraska Health System on Tuesday announced that it is adopting a new name, The Nebraska Medical Center.
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Glenn Fosdick, president and CEO of The Nebraska Medical Center, unveiled the hospital’s new name and logo at a ceremony on Tuesday. |
“The Nebraska Medical Center name is clear. It is a destination,” said Glenn Fosdick, FACHE, president and CEO of The Nebraska Medical Center. “Many in the community already refer to our hospital campus as ‘the medical center.’ It is a place of serious medicine and extraordinary care. The name is changing; our mission, commitment and philosophy are not,” Fosdick said.
UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., said he thinks that the new name capitalizes on the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s reputation as a world-class academic health sciences center.
“The new name more closely identifies the hospital with UNMC,” Dr. Maurer said. “We are eager to strengthen our partnership with The Nebraska Medical Center, a partnership that is second to none.”
In making this decision, The Nebraska Medical Center Board of Directors heard directly from consumers who overwhelmingly preferred The Nebraska Medical Center name over a number of other options. Within the community, “Nebraska Health System” did not easily register in consumers’ minds as a location or destination.
“We recognized the need for a clearer identity with a name that customers know, trust and already associate with us,” Fosdick said.
Hospital officials said the name change will be complemented by an aggressive marketing campaign. The new name also will bring other changes to the campus, including the signs posted in the hospital and around campus.
UNMC is working collaboratively with its partner to develop campus signage that reflects the name change and also UNMC’s new logo. UNMC also is working with University Medical Associates regarding new signage for the clinics that are under UMA’s management.
The following are questions and answers provided by The Nebraska Medical Center.
Q. Is it true that Nebraska Health System has changed its name?
A. Yes. Effective July 15, 2003, the name, Nebraska Health System or NHS, will no longer be used to describe the hospital. We will now refer to the organization as “The Nebraska Medical Center.”
Q. How was the decision made?
A. The hospital Board of Directors invested considerable time to carefully evaluate the hospital’s branding strategy with the assistance of external branding experts. The first conclusion made was that Nebraska Health System was confusing for consumers – it didn’t represent a destination or location and the abbreviation, NHS, was often confused with the National Honor Society and the Nebraska Humane Society, among others.
Private practice and academic medical staff and other stakeholders within the organization were interviewed. Consumers in the local market were surveyed to give an external perspective. Consumers overwhelmingly preferred The Nebraska Medical Center and many in the community already refer to the hospital campus as “the medical center.” As the hospital increases its focus on marketing, it is increasingly important for the hospital to use one name that’s easily recognized and remembered.
Q. Does the hospital’s name change in some way mean a change in the relationship with UNMC?
A. The new hospital name does not change our relationship with our academic partner, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Our partnership remains strong and focused.
Q. What will happen to Clarkson West?
A. Clarkson West will retain its name. To identify Clarkson West as a part of “The Nebraska Medical Center,” some logo enhancements will be made using the new corporate icon.
Q. Will we refer to the new name with an abbreviation as we did with NHS?
A. No. Any mention of the hospital’s name or the hospital corporation’s name should not be abbreviated. It is always The Nebraska Medical Center.
Q. What about the Clarkson and University names? Will they go away?
A. The heritage of Clarkson Hospital and University Hospital is an important part of our history. Since the merger over five years ago, the Clarkson name hasn’t been visible in the market. With the name change will come new exterior hospital signs that will create more visibility for the Clarkson name. Doctors Buildings North and South are renamed, Clarkson Doctors Building North and Clarkson Doctors Building South.
In addition, each of the hospital campus buildings will have increased visibility with attractive exterior signs and interior wayfinding signs – i.e. University Hospital is now “University Tower” and Clarkson Hospital is now Clarkson Tower and so on.
Since our hospital campus is so large and sometimes difficult to navigate for new visitors, it’s important that we create an easily recognizable “umbrella brand” for the larger hospital campus. It’s equally important that we brand and label each of the buildings to make it as intuitive as possible for patients and their families to find their way once they’re here.
From the consumer’s perspective, the following is an example of how a patient might describe their experience to a family member over the phone: “I’m at The Nebraska Medical Center. I had an appointment to see my doctor in the Clarkson Doctors Building North and afterwards was admitted to a room in the University Tower for three days.” Other major medical centers around the country have taken this approach to improve the effectiveness of their marketing and simplify wayfinding for consumers.
Q. Why hasn’t the hospital been advertising and as visible as other hospitals in our community?
A. Employees and medical staff frequently ask this question as Creighton, Alegent and Methodist have increased their marketing efforts. With the name change completed, we will now embark upon a significant promotional campaign, which will position the hospital as the medical leader in the local and regional market. In mid-July, you will see the hospital’s new name and logo throughout the coming year – advertisements in television, newspaper, magazine, radio and outdoor billboards. These promotions will reflect the diverse expertise of our medical staff, our dedicated employees and the miracles that happen here every day.
Q. Why change the name now and not later?
A. Given how difficult it has been to market the hospital with the NHS name and the growing need to be more visible and focused with our marketing efforts, the name change is a critical step. Waiting to change the name would only delay getting our story out to the community.
Q. Is the name change and marketing the hospital worth the money it will cost?
A. Organizations that don’t invest in the image projected to their customers eventually find themselves vulnerable to competitors. The investment being made by the hospital in its branding and marketing initiatives are comparable to other like institutions and will help the hospital to remain strong and viable well into the future.
Q. Will marketing of the new name be tied to the new three-year strategic plan?
A. Yes, in three ways. The strategic plan identifies clinical services which will become areas the hospital will grow and distinguish – our marketing efforts will highlight these services such as cancer services, heart care and neurological sciences. Marketing efforts will also highlight services we provide that are unique in the region, such as transplant and trauma. Finally, designed to specifically address the need identified in the strategic plan for a “front door” for consumers, the hospital’s marketing efforts will consistently draw attention to new ways to access services from the hospital and its medical staff via a new website and 24/7 bilingual consumer call center.
Q. Will my responsibilities or reporting structure change because of the name change?
A. No.
Q. Will the hospital provide me with a new badge?
A. Yes, all hospital employees and physicians who currently wear hospital badges will receive a new badge that prominently features our new name and logo.
Q. What do I do with my NHS letterhead and business cards?
A. To avoid unnecessary expense, employees are encouraged to use their remaining NHS letterhead and business cards until they would normally reorder.
Q. Will our hospital signs be changed?
A. Yes. Hospital signs will be updated on the exterior of the hospital campus first, followed by interior wayfinding signage. The hospital aims to complete this process before the end of the year.
Q. What about my e-mail address which include the letters NHS?
A. All e-mail addresses which currently include nhsnet.org change on July 15. For example marysmith@nhsnet.org becomes marysmith@nebraskamed.com. For the time being, both addresses will work in the event that you receive e-mails from outside the hospital campus.
Q. How can I order coffee mugs, shirts, pens and other items with the new logo?
A. An online store provides a quick and easy way for anyone to order attractive “logo-wear” items at an affordable price. Wear your new hospital logo-wear with pride! Log on to the hospital’s new public website www.NebraskaMed.com for a direct link to the logo-wear online store.
Q. I have more questions. Who can I contact to discuss further?
A. You can contact Tadd Pullin, vice president of Marketing and Strategic Planning, 552-3438, tpullin@nebraskamed.com or Marty Beerman, director of Marketing Services, 552-2449, mbeerman@nebraskamed.com.