On May 20, at concurrent events in Gainesville and Jacksonville that attracted hundreds of faculty, staff and students, it was announced that UF&Shands, the University of Florida Academic Health Center, is now University of Florida Health, or UF Health for short.

The new “umbrella” term reflects the health system’s strong ties to UF, a key part of what differentiates the academic health center — with its focus on excellence in research, teaching and patient care — from its competitors.The move to UF Health grew out of extensive marketing research involving surveys, focus groups and social media conducted across Florida over the past year. The UF Health brand represents the next stage in the organization’s evolution as one of the nation’s most successful academic health centers.

“Three years ago today, on May 20, 2010, we launched an effort to bring together the Health Science Center and Shands into a single vision, through a strategic plan called ‘Forward Together,’” said David Guzick, MD, PhD, senior vice president for health affairs and president, UF Health.

“As a result of that plan,” he told the crowd,  “‘we and they’ have become ‘us.’ Our collaboration has grown and strengthened, and we are now entering a critical new stage.”

“‘We and they’ have become ‘us.’ Our collaboration has grown and strengthened, and we are now entering a critical new stage.”

—  David S. Guzick, MD, PhD

Senior vice president for health affairs and president, UF Health

While the College of Medicine, and all other UF academic units will retain their current names, Guzick reports that a consensus developed for renaming UF&Shands with a university-centric brand, to provide broader name recognition and to convey the central importance of the University of Florida in fulfilling all of the missions of our academic health center.

“UF Health is much more than a new name,” he said. “It represents a transformative state from a close collaboration to functionally working as one, and it’s a symbol that will help us shape a new future together.”

Guzick explained that the name change does not herald a merger or acquisition between UF and Shands, nor does it alter day-to-day operations. Both are legally separate organizations whose governance and leadership structures remain the same.

“Our overall name may have changed, but our focus remains the same: to provide high-quality, patient-centered care that leads to outstanding outcomes,” Guzick said. “We will continue to build on the teamwork and collaboration that is the foundation for our strength and success.”

At a glance

The system name is changing, yet our legacy remains, and UF Health is part of an even bigger picture.

• We’ll now be known as University of Florida Health. UF Health will replace the UF&Shands name. 
• It’s the collective name reflecting all our hospitals, physician practices, colleges, centers, institutes, programs and services.
• It’s the new “umbrella” name for our academic health center.
• UF Health better represents who we are today to our patients, communities, peers and competitors nationwide.
• The Jacksonville system will transition to UF Health at Jacksonville and the hospital on 8th Street will be known as UF Health Jacksonville.
• In Gainesville, our hospitals will proudly carry both the UF Health and Shands names.