VCU news

By Carissa Etters

From its inception more than 175 years ago, Virginia Commonwealth University’s health care system has made discoveries and reached milestones previously unimagined in the world of medicine, earning a well-deserved reputation as a pioneer in health care. VCU hopes to capture that spirit and to celebrate the health system’s ongoing evolution and growth with a new brand.

The VCU Health brand officially launched Aug. 26 to encompass a coordinated system of care, research and education. The decision to enhance the brand was made after thoughtful, extensive research conducted with health system and university leadership, team members and the community. VCU Health represents the health care system’s breadth of services and demonstrates its commitment to quality outcomes across the continuum of care.

With the enormous challenges facing health care today, now is the time to integrate, collaborate and continue to put our best foot forward.

“The VCU legacy is rich in history,” said Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Health System. “We are not afraid to break down barriers to achieve excellence. VCU has a tradition of being first and being innovative in rapidly evolving times. With the enormous challenges facing health care today, now is the time to integrate, collaborate and continue to put our best foot forward. We must adapt to the changing times in order to provide excellence in medicine, research and education. VCU Health is yet another chapter in our legacy.”

The brand tells a bigger, more cohesive story about the world-class care offered across the system from the medical center in downtown Richmond to Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill, and from the VCU physician group to Virginia Premier and the university’s health sciences schools. VCU Health unifies the entire organization under a single brand working toward one common purpose: to relentlessly explore new ways to improve human life.

“VCU Health is a premier integrated health system, top ranked in the commonwealth, winning awards for quality and community engagement, while serving as the region’s safety net,” said Marsha Rappley, M.D., CEO of the VCU Health System and vice president of VCU Health Sciences. “Our values lie at the heart of these awards. We are caring for patients, teaching the next generation of health care providers, and discovering new knowledge that transforms lives. In all of this, we focus on the relentless pursuit of new ways to improve lives.”

The name and brand is not the only enhancement incorporated with the launch. The visual identity received a makeover as well and helps the brand come to life through the use of signage, uniforms and collateral, all of which contribute to the overall experience. With a new logo, color palette, photography, typography and graphic elements, VCU Health stands out and creates instant connection and recognition with its communities.

“The initial rollout of VCU Health is just the beginning of a journey,” said Marcos Irigaray, vice president of strategy, marketing and enterprise analytics, VCU Health. “This is an exciting time to celebrate our successes and move forward into an even brighter future of limitless exploration and possibility. The new brand is designed to create clarity and to rally everyone in the VCU community around a common vision.”

VCU Health stands for “leading what’s possible in your health, recovery and life,” and it represents “our relentless desire to explore and constantly push the limits of what’s possible in medicine and health so we can provide the most comprehensive, highest quality care.” For more detailed information about the brand platform, please visit the brand site at brand.vcuhealth.org.

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