What’s in a name?

To Dr. Denis Roy, the name Health Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord (HSN) means “an academic health science centre where excellent care, excellent teaching and excellent research is being carried out.”
The moniker also happens to be the new name for the institution formerly known as Sudbury Regional Hospital. The change was announced, Nov. 1.

The institution’s website has been redesigned to reflect the new name, and new signs have appeared in front of the hospital’s sites as well.
“It’s a very exciting moment,” Roy, the CEO of Health Sciences North, said. “We are really looking at the future here.”

Russ Boyles, the chair of the hospital’s board of directors, said the name change reflects the hospital’s transition over the last few years to an academic health sciences centre, where there’s an increased emphasis on research, teaching and health promotion.

Besides, the term hospital “is going out of style,” he said.
“If you look across Ontario ... the word ‘hospital’ is almost absent for the majority of the 152 hospitals,” Roy said.

The new Health Sciences North logo features a stylized DNA helix woven in the shape of an S, to emphasize sciences, “santé” (or “health” in French) and Sudbury, according to a press release.
The dominant blue helix points towards the northeast, reflecting HSN’s emphasis on the health issues of northeastern Ontario.

The interwoven strands of the helix represent the levels of connectivity and co-operation among the partners of the health-care corridor at the heart of the HSN concept. A double helix is also an icon for health-related research.

Under the Health Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord banner are a number of centres. The main campus is now known as the Ramsey Lake Health Centre (inpatient acute care). The former Memorial Site is now the Sudbury Outpatient Centre (outpatient care). The Children’s Treatment Centre continues to provide care for special needs children.

The Northeast Cancer Centre is the new identity for the Regional Cancer Program, and the Sudbury Mental Health and Addictions Centre has two locations (Cedar Street and Kirkwood) providing both inpatient and community-based mental health services.

Health Sciences North will continue to benefit from its two foundations: Health Sciences North Foundation, focussing on academic health sciences centre; and the Northern Cancer Foundation.
The name change came about after a “redefining” exercise that began about a year ago. OVE Design and Communications and 50 Carleton, consultants hired by the hospital, spoke to about 1,600 stakeholders about the future of the institution.

The consultants recommended renaming the institution, and came back with several name suggestions. Health Sciences North “stood out far and above any of the names that came out,” Boyles said. The hospital’s board of directors approved the name change about three months ago.
The redefining exercise, along with the costs associated with the name change, cost about $108,000 in total, Roy said.

Although some things, such as the website, were changed right away to reflect the new identity, for the most part, the old Sudbury Regional Hospital name will be gradually phased out, he said.
The reaction to the name change by Northern Life Facebook fan page members was swift, with dozens of comments accumulating within minutes, and overwhelmingly negative.

“It will be confusing for out-of-towners, with Science North and Health Sciences North, not to mention it’s a hospital, not a science centre,” one member of the fan page said.
“What a waste of money,” another member of the fan page said. “I’d rather taxes used for better more urgent matters. Changing the name won’t change shortcomings.”

Boyles remains unfazed by the public’s criticism.
“It’s going to take everyone a while to get used to it,” he said.

Posted by Vivian Scinto