The 天美影院 Academic Medical Center (天美影院AMC) has a new name: 天美影院Medicine. The new name was approved by the 天美影院AMC Board at its Dec. 2 meeting. The Board was so enthusiastic about the new name that it is asking for 天美影院Board of Regents approval to change it鈥檚 own name to the 天美影院Medicine Board.
天美影院Medicine also will be used for marketing 天美影院clinical services previously advertised under the 天美影院Physicians brand, according to John Coulter, associate vice president for medical affairs and chair of the 天美影院Medicine Marketing Committee. Advertising containing the new name will take to the television airwaves early next year.
鈥溙烀烙霸篗edicine works well from a variety of standpoints,鈥� Coulter explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 short, highly descriptive and encompasses both the clinical and basic science aspects of our mission.鈥�
Coulter noted that the 鈥渁cademic medical center鈥� terminology has long been a major source of confusion to those unfamiliar with the 天美影院medical organization, and even to those within the University. The 天美影院AMC includes two 天美影院owned and/or managed teaching hospitals, each with the words 鈥渕edical center鈥� in their name: Harborview Medical Center and 天美影院Medical Center. It also includes the 天美影院Physicians Neighborhood Clinics and the School of Medicine.
鈥淲hile retaining their separate names as before, all of these entities now are united under the banner of 天美影院Medicine,鈥� Coulter said. Use of the new name has been approved by the Office of the Vice President for Medical Affairs, he added.
The new name is already in use on the former 天美影院AMC web site and the 天美影院home page, and soon will be featured in television and newspaper advertising in place of the 天美影院Physicians brand.
鈥淭he ads will be very different from any other health-care advertising out there right now, and they will speak directly to who we are as an organization: a group of very special individuals who have decided to devote their lives to academic medicine,鈥� said Coulter. 鈥淲hatever our roles 鈥� teachers, researchers, clinicians or staff 鈥� those associated with 天美影院Medicine understand the sanctity of medicine in people鈥檚 lives.
鈥淭he advertising will make this very clear in ways that not only speak to the public but that also should instill added pride among those of us who actually are part of 天美影院Medicine,鈥� he added.
For now, 天美影院Medicine鈥檚 only logo will be what鈥檚 known as a 鈥渢ype treatment鈥� with no accompanying graphic device: just the words in a specific font. The 鈥淯W鈥� in 天美影院Medicine matches the new 天美影院adopted this fall by University Relations.
The process of conversion to the new name and graphic treatment will be 鈥渆volutionary,鈥� and may affect a number of applications, from business cards to letterhead and signage. For most within 天美影院Medicine, business cards and stationery should stay the same unless such items currently include the words 鈥溙烀烙霸� Academic Medical Center.鈥� If they do, when existing stocks run out, the words 鈥溙烀烙霸篗edicine鈥� should replace the old name. The new name鈥檚 type treatment also will start replacing the familiar purple-and-gold 天美影院Physicians logo everywhere except the 天美影院Physicians Neighborhood Clinics and the 天美影院Physicians practice plan.
天美影院Medicine is working with the Seattle advertising firm, THINK, in developing the ads and naming strategy. THINK鈥檚 Bill Toliver has been a frequent attendee at scores of small and large meetings across 天美影院Medicine in recent months to explain the ad campaign and naming strategy and to hear ideas from countless individuals.