The Blind River District Health Centre (BRDHC) has a new name and new identity following the completion of a two-year rebranding project.
Effective June 15, the health provider which consists of Blind River, Thessalon and Richards Landing-Matthews will be know as the North Shore Health Network.
Representatives from area municipalities, auxiliaries and health care, and North Shore Health Network Foundation gathered in the hospital for the unveiling of the new name and logo.
On April 1, 2013 the BRDHC integrated with the Thessalon Hospital and Matthews Memorial Hospital sites formerly operated by the Sault Area Hospital.
"As the result of the integration, the catchment area of BRDHC stretched 160 kilometres from Spanish in the east to Echo Bay in the west," said CEO, Gaston Lavigne. "In order to unite all sites, it was recognized that the corporate identity needed to change."
What does a health care model look like that meets the needs of the people?
"We went on this journey of discovery of identifying who we really [are] and what is our identity as a corporation," said Chair of the Board of Trustees, Roger Boyer II. "What would a name look like to be more inclusion across the demographics and dynamics of the North Shore that looks at a urban and rural settings."
The search began in September 2014 with the Re-Name Game contest launched one month later and shared with all municipalities, schools and various service clubs throughout the entire catchment area.
A total of 87 entries were received.
The winning name, North Shore Health, was submitted by Rick Klazinga of Bruce Mines.
Throughout the rebranding process, the word ‘network’ was added, and the North Shore Health Network was formally approved by corporate members in the fall of 2015.
"Part of the Anishinaabe custom and culture, I got the logo beaded," Boyer said, displaying the colourful bead work Akeshia Shkaabewis (War Cry).
Why that name was chosen, some may ask.
"That unification of identity, bringing three sites under one path," Boyer said. "We wanted to be under the right name for all of us that fits."
Unveiling the new name at the Richards Landing-Matthews site were community member Barb Jackson and Roger Boyer II.
As the name was unveiled indoors, the sign was being changed outdoors.
The Thessalon and Blind River sites were unveiled later that day.
Rebranding reaches beyond the health centre. It includes, Lavigne said, the foundation and auxiliaries.
North Shore Health Network Auxiliary came to be through joining of the Blind River District Health Centre Auxiliary Inc, the Matthews Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and the Thessalon Hospital Auxiliary.
The new NSHN Auxiliary will retain three site committees, better known as the Blind River Site, the Richards Landing-Matthews site committee, and the Thessalon site committee.
Representatives from the North Shore Health Network Foundation and North Shore Health Network Auxiliary were present.
"The name change comes at a very opportune time," Lavigne said. "With the introduction of Bill 210, Patient First Act 2016, major changes to the health care system are coming. Changes of this magnitude have not been seen since the Health Services Restructuring Commission that was in place from 1996 to 2000."
Lavigne went on to say that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, along with the Local Health Integration Network, will be given various legislated powers that they presently do not possess.
"The creation of sub-regions within the North East Local Health Integration Network will produce geographic areas for the purposes of planning, funding and integrating services," he said. "We are, therefore, well positioned to become a sub-region that extends 160 kilometres all along the north shore of Lake Huron, and our name is reflective of this potentially new sub-region of the NE LHIN."