"The Ronan Report" provides insight about the activities at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Maryland, and about the changes taking place in healthcare today from a CEO's perspective.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Finding a Name for the Alliance

For the last nine months, the alliance of Western Maryland Health System, Frederick Regional Health System and Meritus Health has been trying to find a name.  We thought that we were okay with Alliance Health, and it turned out that there was an insurance company somewhere in the Midwest with the name Alliance Healthcare.  Then, we tried to move forward with Concordant Health; not the best name, but it seems that there are less and less names out there.  We just learned today that name is not available.  Concordant Health Solutions is a Michigan-based consulting company so, that name is out.  I don't quite understand that there can be derivations of the name Alliance Health and Concordant Health that others such as insurers, consultants and providers have used, but we can't.  

Now, I do remember a few years ago when Allegany College of Maryland dropped "Community" and added "of Maryland" to its name.  Allegany College of Maryland received cease and desist letters from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, just north of Pittsburgh.  They said that the name was too confusing for potential students applying to their college.  Really?  If their students can't figure out the difference between Maryland and Pennsylvania, who would want them as a student at their college.  Then, it was that Allegany College of Maryland has campuses in Pennsylvania and that was too confusing for their prospective students.  I rest my case; who would want those navigationally challenged students anyway.  Allegany College of Maryland pretty much told them that we will use "of Maryland" extensively, but other than that, we weren't changing the name.

Getting back to the issue at hand, we need a name for our three health system alliance.  At this point, I would welcome any suggestions that you may have.  Give it some thought and let me know.  Thanks!

2 comments:

  1. "Esprit de corps Healthcare"comes to mind and seems most appropriate but I see how unpalatable that is to the eyes. How about "Union Maryland Haalth" or "Maryland Synergy Health?

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  2. How about "Tri-county Healthcare Alliance".

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