Michigan Medicine is the new name of the University of Michigan’s academic medical center, a change that better reflects its missions of patient care, education and research.
The new name also reflects recent organizational changes, including the appointment of a single leader for both the Medical School and medical affairs for university. Marschall S. Runge serves in the combined role.
“Becoming Michigan Medicine is more than a name change. This new name reflects a growing trend among world-class academic medical centers to showcase the integration of their missions: medical education, health care research and patient care,” said Runge, dean of the Medical School, executive vice president for medical affairs and CEO of Michigan Medicine.
“We remain committed to extraordinary patient care, world-class medical education, being an employer of choice for faculty and staff, and moving groundbreaking research from bench to bedside in order to save and improve lives.”
The new name replaces the U-M Health System. The Medical School name will not change, but the school is a part of Michigan Medicine.
When the Board of Regents approved the combined role for Runge in September, U-M leaders stressed that putting him in charge of both the Medical School and hospital operations would increase collaboration between academic, research and health care professionals in the academic medical center.
The name change is a natural follow-up to these efforts, Runge said, adding that recruiting the best faculty and successfully attracting research dollars is key to delivering cutting-edge medical care. Making sure the institution allows for seamless, integrative collaboration is key to the future.
“We expect Michigan Medicine will help generate a better understanding of the strengths of our academic medical center and will energize our faculty and staff,” Runge said.
“Patients should only see better patient care as we minimize operational redundancies and increase greater cohesiveness between units. We will be better poised for success going forward.”
“Under our new name, Michigan Medicine, we will continue our longstanding tradition of breaking new ground in health care research, education and patient care that impacts people across the globe,” Runge added.
“Our referring and partner physicians can expect improvements in our extraordinary care, which remains our top commitment to all of our patients. And we will continue to provide our high-rated training to tomorrow’s physicians, exposing them to groundbreaking care and research.”
Jaime Cortes
There was no need to change the name. Also it is a shame to pick up the name Michigan Medicine. It seems arrogant to take the name of the state, when there are many other medical centers in the state of Michigan.
Cora Yee
My exact same thoughts, Jaime.
Clayton Lewis
Michigan Medicine — not exactly holistic is it? The new name implies that we fix everything with pharmaceuticals. I’d prefer Michigan Health or something more focused on the broader goal of patient outcomes.
Michael Meade
Michigan Medicine is a terrible branding choice. It’s focused on physicians and the medical school — which is not inclusive of the broader base of people who are part of the Health System.
Sharron Disbro
This name change only empowers physicians. It does not begin to support the goal of coordinated care and collegiality we have so long tried to accomplish. It minimalizes the work of everyone else working so hard to provide the excellent patient care we are known for. Expensive and bad decision.
Chris Anderson
Completely agree Sharron. I could not believe they actually went through with this change, especially since so many people voiced their opposition. Safe, quality patient care is a team effort.
Sharon Redmer
An Unfortunate Choice. It’s truly expensive to rebrand. The name UM Health System seems broad enough to encompass both our world class medical school and all the other top professionals/disciplines that make UM great. From John Q Public’s perspective “Michigan Medicine” does not speak to health promotion or disease prevention. So that means there must have been powerful UM internal factors pushing this name change forward since there is limited value to the external (customer) world. Plus “Michigan Medicine” seems a lot like the branding we see for “THE Ohio State University” and “THE Henry Ford” …my goodness we do have big egos!
Jason Schrotenboer
100% agree. What about PT, dentistry, counseling, social services, nursing…etc etc. Those were all inclusive under “Health”. Now…. patients see only medicine. Who wants to swallow that bitter pill?
Jason Parker
Rebranding is a complete waste of money that could be spent toward’s patient care. The new name seems physician and medical school focused and does not encompass a diverse health system that is ran by many other professionals such as nurses, therapists, social workers, etc. UMHS nurses voiced their disagreement with this name change months ago and administrators failed to listen to their concerns. But as long as Michigan Medicine can advertise their med school, I guess the opinions of their 5,000+ nurses don’t matter.
Caroline Mohai
Have to agree that “Michigan Medicine” is pretty lame. Imaging “Michigan Medicine” on a brochure, I would think it would be confusing as to what it is referring to. We all know what a health system is.
Mike Schumacher
“Michigan Medicine” sounds more like a tag line in a commercial.
Terry Karnatz
Wow, why did they dilute the understanding of who we are with this name change? I can hear it now, Dr. “I’m going to need to refer you to Michigan Medicine”, Patient, “Where in Michigan?”. What a marketing mess!
Charles Tommasulo
Great choice – Michigan Medicine works very well for the consumers of health care in Michigan. Change is always difficult for many!
Loren Richards
I agree change is difficult, but it doesn’t change how I feel. I look forward to each visit because there are so many wonderful people. I couldn’t tell someone’s profession, degree or personal life, but I can see smiling and helpful faces adapting to changes that were likely meant to make things easier. I wish everyone well and hope for the best
Martin Lipson
I see nothing wrong with the new name.
Hossein Gharib
I can understand objections to name change. As a medical student in the 60s, we used “UMMC,” Univ of Mich Med Center. The issue is high quality service and that is the key.
David Krause
Fully agree with the first dozen comments. A poor decision.
Michael DiPietro
Something was “fixed” that was not broken.
Going forward, we must be sure that we are sufficiently staffed (workers in the trenches, not just administrators) and that the staff are fairly compensated to deliver the high quality of care that we want to be recognized as “the Michigan Difference.”
To do less would make this unnecessary brand change an ostentatious joke.
Michael DiPietro
Something was “fixed” that was not broken.
Going forward, we must be sure that we are sufficiently staffed (workers in the trenches, not just administrators) and that the staff are fairly compensated to deliver the high quality of care that we want to be recognized as “the Michigan Difference.”
To do less would make this unnecessary brand change an ostentatious joke.
Fred Hertel
Confuses rather than clarifies. Needless change.
David Waatti
As a very satisfied patient with the inclusive services provided by the U of M Health System I do not understand your new name. It seems like there is part of it missing at the end. I believe you could have spent your time and money in a better way. It sounds like someones ego got in the way of their sound thinking.
J. Richard Jaconette
Perhaps I will feel differently in the morning, but tonight I feel that the change is troublesome meddling. The new name is generic at a time when specificity is more appropriate. U of M Heath System was appropriate, and inclusive of all facets of healthcare delivery including facilities, research, and those involved in delivering healthcare, professional and non-professional. Do the right thing and walk it back before any more money is wasted on this useless endeavor. How does something like this even become an agenda item? Incidentally, I do not feel differently in the morning.
Sara Hickey
For the 44 years I worked for the University of Michigan Hospitals/University of Michigan Medical Center/University of Michigan Health System I was proud to be a University of Michigan staffer. The University of Michigan is nationally recognized as a leader in academic education, research, and patient care. Why the disassociation from the University?? Does not make sense to me as a former employee or a consumer. My personal opinion is that the expense of this rebranding could be better spent on day to day support of our patient programs, medical research and employee continuing education.
Alice Diane Coxford
I have received care through the system since 1962 under a different name in the early years. I think U.of M. Health System is much more appropriate. Hopefully, the “medicine” and all the treatment and counseling and other care is toward a goal of good health and not more medicine. I agree with all of the negative comments I just read. The name change was ridiculous.
The name change this time is ridiculous! whether my name is Cook or Coxford.
Edwin Lewis
Agree totally with Ms Coxford!
Larry Davis
I favor “University of Michigan Health Care System”. Simple, descriptive. My favorite 1965 College of Pharmacy faculty, Dr. Ara Paul, would have loved it!
Marshal Shlafer
Dr. Runge stated, “This new name reflects a growing trend among world-class academic medical centers to showcase the integration of their missions: medical education, health care research and patient care…” Growing trend or not, the verbiage used to support the change to Michigan Medicine is, rather, to me, the very reason why “health SYSTEM” is the most appropriate, or at least better, phrase. In my opinion the organization is comprised of, and works so well because of, an integrated team of health care professionals with different talents, skills, knowledge, and degrees; a variety of support staff; students; and researchers. Everyone working together towards the same general goal. (e pluribus unum — out of many, one — to steal a common statement used in another context.) What Michigan has is a SYSTEM. The term “Michigan Medicine” does not “showcase” integration; it conceals, if not ignores, it.
Beth Wharton Milford MD
“…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…”
Or something suggesting Shakespeare’s meanderings hmmmmmmmm
Gail Griffin
Apparently someone somewhere thought this was a wonderful idea this name change does not reflect all the clinical professions practicing and collaborating to provide quality care at the health system.
S. Black
Quite a few years ago, when the “new hospital”was built, staff was told to use the
nomenclature as, for example, “6 Riverside” or “6 Courtyard”. Most Staff continued to only call the floors, “6 East” or”6 west” (maybe 6 S or 6N ?)
When we were told to use the Riverside/ Courtyard designation “…… because a lot of money was spent on consultants to come up with those names…”
I remember saying, “Maybe, you just didn’t get your money’s worth….”
Might have a hard time getting alums, patients and staff to change form UMMC
to M&M.
Albert Meyer
Dumb idea. Sounds like a cheap insurance plan. I also predict that the name may change but people won’t use it.