ST. JOSEPH — On Monday, Jan. 26, the Lakeland Board of Directors approved revising the organization’s name from Lakeland HealthCare to Lakeland Health. The board cited the new name as a better fit with the organization’s mission to enhance health and serve the surrounding community.

“This change is intended to more accurately communicate our mission of addressing the overall health needs of our community, from wellness and prevention to treating illness in acute situations,” said Dan Hopp, Chairman of the Lakeland Board of Directors.

Lakeland’s logo will retain its familiar graphic element alongside the new Lakeland Health name. The new name and logo will soon begin to appear on the new Lakeland website, advertising, and in other materials. Printed materials and facility signs will be updated as needed.

“We anticipate the transition to our new name to be seamless for everyone,” said Loren B. Hamel, MD, president and CEO of Lakeland Health. “Community members will still be able to recognize us as the same organization they know and trust for their family’s health needs.”

At the same time, the board formally approved shortening the names of Lakeland’s three hospitals. The new facility names are: Lakeland Hospital, Niles (previously Lakeland Community Hospital, Niles); Lakeland Hospital, Watervliet (previously Lakeland Community Hospital, Watervliet); and Lakeland Medical Center, St. Joseph (previously Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph).

“In recent years, Lakeland has been ranked right alongside some of our nation’s best health systems in terms of safety, quality, and patient satisfaction,” said Dr. Hamel. “By eliminating the words ‘community’ and ‘regional’ from the hospitals’ titles, we can better convey our standing as a nationally competitive system.”

 

About Lakeland Health

Lakeland Health is a non-profit, community-owned health system, which includes three hospitals, an outpatient surgery center, a cancer center, rehabilitation centers, long-term care, hospice, home care services, and physician practices. Lakeland has over 4,000 employees who provide clinical and support services at locations throughout southwest Michigan, and partners with more than 400 affiliated physicians and other providers. For more information, visit www.lakelandhealth.org.