The 天美影视传媒 Academic Medical Center (UW AMC) has a new name: UW Medicine. The new name was approved by the UW AMC Board at its Dec. 2 meeting. The Board was so enthusiastic about the new name that it is asking for UW Board of Regents approval to change it鈥檚 own name to the UW Medicine Board.
UW Medicine also will be used for marketing UW clinical services previously advertised under the UW Physicians brand, according to John Coulter, associate vice president for medical affairs and chair of the UW Medicine Marketing Committee. Advertising containing the new name will take to the television airwaves early next year.
鈥淯W Medicine 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 UW medical organization, and even to those within the University. The UW AMC includes two UW owned and/or managed teaching hospitals, each with the words 鈥渕edical center鈥� in their name: Harborview Medical Center and UW Medical Center. It also includes the UW 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 UW 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 UW AMC web site and the UW home page, and soon will be featured in television and newspaper advertising in place of the UW 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 UW 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 UW Medicine,鈥� he added.
For now, UW 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 UW Medicine matches the new UW 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 UW Medicine, business cards and stationery should stay the same unless such items currently include the words 鈥溙烀烙笆哟� Academic Medical Center.鈥� If they do, when existing stocks run out, the words 鈥淯W Medicine鈥� should replace the old name. The new name鈥檚 type treatment also will start replacing the familiar purple-and-gold UW Physicians logo everywhere except the UW Physicians Neighborhood Clinics and the UW Physicians practice plan.
UW 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 UW Medicine in recent months to explain the ad campaign and naming strategy and to hear ideas from countless individuals.