I recently received a packet of information from Dartmouth Health announcing its new logo. Included in the packet were 7 stickers, a magnet, and an invitation to choose a gift of DH merchandise—fleece vests, t-shirts, water bottles, etc.
If Dartmouth (fill in the blank with the latest name) wants to change its name, it could simply put the new logo on its bills I receive. I’d get the point very easily.
What’s the point of this name change? Where can a patient go locally that ISN’T a hospital connected to DH? We’re a captive audience. We’re still going to go where our doctors are, no matter what you call yourself.
If DH wants to change its image, it could allow their affiliates the time they need to better service its patients. Instead, I’m being pushed to self-diagnose myself prior to my 15-20 minute appointment and to use my-DH.org. Not very helpful.
The larger question is how much did this rebranding cost? There’s the cost of new stationary, brochures, handouts, etc. that each of the hospitals within the DH universe will have to reorder. There are the banner ads on the internet, tv, media outlets, and mass mailings promoting this new name. Was an outside marketing firm hired? Did they do focus groups? Were surveys done? There are costs associated with each step they took to rebrand. In a time when smaller hospitals are struggling to provide service locally, I would have preferred all that money be spent on helping the bottom line of the smaller hospitals or raises be given to all the frontline employees who got us through the last two years.
I’m assuming DH did not get a grant to cover these marketing costs. So the costs are being passed along to us, the patients. To what end?
Nancy Kingsley
New London, NH
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.