North Shore-LIJ Health System is dropping the references to its origins in its name as the system rapidly expands.
The Great Neck, N.Y.-based system will spend “tens of millions of dollars” to brand the parent company of its 21 hospitals, employed doctors and health insurance arm as Northwell Health. The name change will be official in January.
North Shore-LIJ felt constrained by a name that made specific reference to geography and the system's founding members. The system's name derives from Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore Health System, which merged in 1997.
The system's recent string of announced or closed deals have consolidated its hold on Long Island and expanded its reach into Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City. North Shore-LIJ has also launched a health insurance company that has grown through enrollment in Affordable Care Act exchanges and employer-sponsored health plans.
“We're obviously a much different place than we were,” said Michael Dowling, the system's CEO.