GHS and Palmetto Health to become Prisma Health

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Greenville Health System and Palmetto Health will operate under a single new brand in 2019: Prisma Health. The announcement was made at simultaneous news conferences Tuesday in Greenville and Columbia, when the system’s new logo also was unveiled.

Since November 2017, GHS and Palmetto Health have been operating as the Upstate and Midlands affiliates of S.C. Health Co., a not-for-profit, locally governed parent company.

The parent company is being rebranded now under the new name, Prisma Health, officials announced at the news conference.

Both affiliates will be known as Prisma Health in early 2019. Campuses and hospitals will retain their core name identities such as Greenville Memorial.

Adoption of the new name reflects how two separate health systems have blended into a single entity since last year, according to the co-CEOs.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for our organization,” Prisma Health Co-CEO Charles D. Beaman Jr. said in a news release. “We’re poised for great change. With a motivated 30,000-team-member workforce, we’re confident we will continue to make strides to improve clinical quality, access to care and the patient experience for South Carolinians, while addressing the rising cost of health care.”

When the affiliates first announced their partnership, they planned to retain their existing brands, according to the release. Over time, and with input from leaders, physicians, team members, patients and community members, they realized that to become a single health company with a unified culture, it is necessary to come together under a unified brand for the entire organization.

“We’ve already learned so much from each other,” Prisma Health Co-CEO Michael C. Riordan said in the news release. “What we’re doing now will pave the way for transformative changes to health care in South Carolina. And through our efforts, we’ve already identified ways to achieve more together by operating as one organization under a single name and brand identity.”

He added, “Although much is changing, much will remain the same, including both the Upstate and Midlands affiliates’ longstanding dedication to patient care, unwavering commitment to their communities and a strong focus on academics and clinical research.”

Dr. Spence Taylor, president of the Upstate affiliate of what is now known as Prisma Health, told GSA Business Report the governing structure announced in January will remain in place. He also said “we’re not prepared to make any announcement” on whether there will be a central headquarters for Prisma Health, adding, “that’s forthcoming.”