Bar Harbor, Maine-based Mount Desert Island Hospital recently rebranded as Mount Desert Island Health after local residents didn’t realize it was a health system.
“As our president and CEO, Chrissi Maguire, shared in our announcement, ‘The word ‘hospital’ only tells part of our story,'” MDI Health Public Affairs Officer Mariah Cormier told Becker’s. “Over the years, we heard from community members who were sometimes confused by the scope of services we provide when only one part of the organization was reflected in the name.”
In this Becker’s Q&A, Ms. Cormier shares the cost-conscious nature of the rebrand, as well as the expected return on investment, and why she’s OK with people continuing to use the old name.
Question: Why did MDI Health decide to rebrand? How did you come up with/agree upon the new name?
Mariah Cormier: Our organization has grown an incredible amount over the last 130 years to extend far beyond the walls of a hospital. We are a network that includes health centers, a retirement village, a dental clinic, specialty services, community programming and a medical education program.
The name MDI Health was developed internally over the course of two years through focus groups and town halls that included staff from the hospital, health centers and Birch Bay Retirement Village, as well as patients, volunteers, and community business partners. The result is a name that better reflects the full continuum of care and services we provide across our organization.
Q: Where are you at now in terms of physical/digital rebranding or any branding campaigns?
MC: One of our primary goals throughout this process has been to implement the rebrand responsibly and cost-effectively. For example, if staff still have business cards or physical materials (letterhead, folders, etc.) with the previous logo, they will continue using them until they need to be replaced. Since MDI Hospital is retaining its name, those materials are still accurate and relevant.
Signage updates at our health centers are already underway, and signage at the hospital will be updated alongside ongoing campus construction projects. This was an intentional decision, as many signs needed to be replaced anyway due to building and wayfinding changes tied to the campus improvement project. By aligning the rebrand with those updates, we only need to make the transition once.
Digitally, much of our branding has already been updated. While we continue to use mdihospital.org, we have also added mdih.org and expect to maintain both for the foreseeable future.
Throughout the process, we have been mindful of balancing consistency and modernization with familiarity. We want the transition to feel cohesive and unified without disrupting how patients identify or access our services.
Q: How much do you expect the rebrand to cost? What’s the ROI and how will you measure it?
MC: We have been able to complete this project largely within standard operating costs. Staff have been encouraged to continue using existing materials until replacements are necessary, which has helped minimize waste and unnecessary spending.
The larger expenses, such as permanent signage at the hospital, are already incorporated into the budget for our campus improvement project, which is funded through donor support and grants. As part of that project, we already needed updated interior wayfinding signage, exterior entrance signage and new building facade signage. Incorporating the unified brand into that work allows us to make the transition efficiently and economically.
In terms of return on investment, our success will be measured primarily through community understanding, engagement and trust. We are fortunate to serve a highly engaged community that regularly communicates with our leadership team, patient advocates and staff. So far, both internal feedback and community response have been overwhelmingly positive, and our goal is to continue building on that momentum while reinforcing that this organization remains an independent, trusted community asset.
Q: Do you expect community members to use the new name, or keep referring to the organization as what they call it colloquially?
MC: We’ve been encouraged by how quickly both staff and community members have embraced the new organizational name. At the same time, we recognize that as a local, independent healthcare system that has served this island for 130 years, it may take some people time to adjust their language, and that’s completely understandable.
Importantly, the structure of the unified brand was designed with that in mind. MDI Hospital, our health centers and Birch Bay Retirement Village are all keeping their individual names, so even if people continue referring to us as “MDI Hospital,” that remains accurate and familiar.
Q: What comes next for the rebrand?
MC: Over the next year, the most visible changes will come with the completion of the hospital’s new main entrance, where permanent interior and exterior signage will be installed. Signage updates at our health centers will also continue over the coming months.
Our goal is to complete the transition over the next 12 months in a way that is thoughtful and intentional. We want the rebrand to feel welcoming and cohesive while ensuring patients and community members continue to easily recognize, access and trust the services they rely on.
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