The unveiling of the new logo of the Cleveland Clinic Tradition hospital took place last week at a much-promoted but a bit anti-climatic news conference at the Tradition Medical Center.
The big reveal was staged by John Loewenberg, board chair of Martin Health System, and Martin Health President and CEO Robert Lord.
Before they unveiled the logo, Port St. Lucie Mayor Gregory Oravec had enthusiastically read a lengthy proclamation welcoming Cleveland Clinic to Tradition.
Oravec declared it “Cleveland Clinic Day,” and the Cleveland Clinic executives on hand for the formal takeover of the Tradition hospital seemed genuinely excited to be here.
The mere siting of the joint media event at Tradition – midway between the other hospitals Cleveland has acquired in Stuart and Vero Beach – hints at the hospital possibly someday becoming an anchor in the Florida region.
Until now, Cleveland Clinic Florida consisted of one hospital in Weston and several outpatient clinics in Broward and Palm Beach counties..
The sense of anti-climax last week was “heightened” because few immediate changes are expected at the Tradition hospital, the Vero Beach hospital or the other two former Martin Health System hospitals acquired by Cleveland Clinic Florida.
“You don’t need to turn around any of these hospitals,” said Florida division president and CEO Dr. Wael Barsoum.
“You don’t need to turn around any of these cultures. Because of the alignment, I actually don’t think you’ll see a change in culture.”
Nor will the hospitals see a change in staffing, at least not in the first year, Cleveland executives said.
“Over the course of this first year, every job that presently exists will remain,” said Barsoum. “That is something that we’ve committed to and we think it’s the right thing to do for the caregivers and for the communities.
He added that in addition to care of the patients, Cleveland Clinic is committed to caring for caregivers.
“That is something that will always be first and foremost in our minds as we look at the efficiencies that come from joining a healthcare system,” he said.
“There will clearly be opportunities that will take advantage of inefficiencies, but we will do that I think in a very open and transparent way, taking into account what’s best for communities and best for caregivers,” Barsoum added.
What will be new for patients at Tradition, Indian River and the Stuart hospitals?
Barsoum mentioned “an ability to move through the process more quickly, more efficiently … when somebody has a highly complex problem, [there will be] easier access to tertiary and quaternary care.”
Cleveland Clinic’s system-wide CEO and president, Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, added that patients at the Tradition, Vero Beach and Stuart hospitals also would immediately have access to the expertise of Cleveland Clinic’s caregivers in Cleveland, including for second opinions.
While those journalists who had been following the Martin Health and Indian River mergers over the past year may have strained to find any news in the news conference, some national healthcare press found it headline-worthy.
Healthcare Finance News topped its rewrite of Cleveland’s press release with a merger-and-acquisition spin:
“Cleveland Clinic broadens footprint in Sunshine State,” noting in a subhead Cleveland’s combined financial commitments in the two deals – $750 million.
The more widely-read Becker’s Hospital Review focused on the name changes.
In addition to Tradition Medical Center becoming Cleveland Clinic Tradition, Indian River Medical Center became Cleveland Clinic Indian River.
Martin Health’s other two hospitals were rebranded too: the old Martin Medical Center in Stuart is now Cleveland Clinic Martin North, and the smaller Port Salerno hospital is now Cleveland Clinic Martin South.
