USA Health Announces New Name for Hospital

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Posted on August 31, 2018

Jen Ekman

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The University of South Alabama today unveiled a new name for the region’s only hospital offering Level I trauma care, as the USA Board of Trustees voted unanimously to change the name of the USA Medical Center to University Hospital, a transformation that more accurately reflects the hospital’s teaching and research mission.

University Hospital, as a component of USA Health, will continue to serve the Mobile region as it has for generations, providing unique, nationally ranked services that include the region’s only Level I trauma center and the Arnold Luterman Regional Burn Center.

“The University Hospital name expresses our unique mission to provide medical education, innovative care and cutting edge treatments stemming from academic research, and it brings all of our components together under the USA Health umbrella,” said Dr. John Marymont, USA’s vice president for medical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine. “We are the only area hospital offering the highest level of stroke care, as well as evidence-based approaches to caring for cancer, diabetes and complex treatments and diagnosis of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s and epilepsy.”

The USA Health name will serve as the umbrella brand for the University of South Alabama’s health system, including USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital, USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute and USA Health Physicians Group.

The University Hospital name was selected based on research that explored the Mobile community’s understanding of the breadth and depth of services offered at University Hospital and the quality of care that patients experience throughout USA Health.

The research showed that those who engaged with the health system thought very highly of the quality of care they received, but they had limited understanding of the overall impact and high level of care delivered throughout the USA Health system.

“The University Hospital name clarifies our mission and purpose by bringing to the forefront the University of South Alabama’s mission as a leader in health care practice, research and teaching,” said Sam Dean, University Hospital administrator and assistant vice president for medical affairs. “The hospital is not only part of an academic medical system, but it is also a pioneer in treating complex conditions, conducting innovative research and educating the next generation of health care professionals.”

The University Hospital name change follows the recent announcement of a $5 million gift from Herbert Meisler that will double the size of the hospital’s trauma center, the Fanny Meisler Trauma Center, as well as the recent inaugural flight of USA SouthFlight, a helicopter emergency service  partnership between USA Health and Air Methods.

About USA Health University Hospital

As a state-certified Level I Trauma and nationally ranked burn center, USA Health University Hospital serves as the major referral center for patients with traumatic injuries from southern Alabama, southeast Mississippi, and portions of northwest Florida. Last year alone, University Hospital served patients in 53 counties. As the go-to facility for the area’s toughest emergencies, University Hospital is capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury, from prevention through rehabilitation.

About USA Health

With more than 3,800 employees, USA Health is unlike any other health care organization on the Alabama Gulf Coast. It includes USA Health University Hospital, USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital, USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute, USA Health Physicians Group and USA Health College of Medicine. At least one-third of local physicians, some 2,500, received their training at University Hospital. More than 10,400 nurses and 5,600 allied health professionals received training at USA hospitals.

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