New Boone Memorial Health name reflects growing footprint, capabilities, technology, and community health and disease prevention focus
Boone Memorial Hospital has a new name. During a press conference held June 20, hospital leaders announced that the organization will now be known as Boone Memorial Health. The new name, representative of Boone Memorial’s first major branding initiative since opening its doors in 1964, more closely reflects its expanded footprint, capabilities, technology, and focus on community health and disease prevention.
Over the past 10 years, that expansion has included nearly tripling its workforce, the addition of four clinic locations and eight specialty services, and the implementation of a substance abuse and mental health treatment program and black lung center. During that time, Boone Memorial has also invested tens of millions of dollars in its facilities, equipment, and innovative technology to advance the care it can provide.
“Boone Memorial Health includes our 25-bed critical access hospital facility, but we have grown to become so much more. The hospital’s original leaders had a philosophy of ‘people helping people’ and being a vital part of the community,” said Boone Memorial Health CEO Virgil Underwood. “As an organization, our leaders and Board of Directors plan to take that philosophy to new levels, and our new brand reflects our vision of making the communities we serve better places to live, work, learn and play.”
To help implement that vision, Underwood announced the hospital’s official launch of the BMH Foundation for Community Health. Established earlier this year, the Foundation has a mission to improve community health by addressing the social determinants of health throughout the communities it serves. Social determinants of health include economic stability; access to quality education; safe neighborhoods and living environments; social and community connection; and access to quality healthcare.
The BMH Foundation for Community Health, led by Boone Memorial Health General Counsel and Chief External Affairs Officer Ray Harrell, plans to accomplish its goals through programming and education, managed projects and operations, grantmaking to other non-profits and governmental entities, and community events and partnerships.
Harrell commented, “The Foundation will be supported by existing hospital financial resources and personnel, fundraising, and by collaborating with community partners to not only secure federal, state and private grant dollars but work together toward our shared goals.
During the press conference, the Boone Memorial Foundation for Community Health distributed more than $200,000 in grant awards to community partners that included the City of Madison, the Town of Danville, Scott High School, Boone County Parks and Recreation, the Southern West Virginia Community College Foundation and more.
Congresswomen Carol Miller was present for Boone Memorial’s celebration, and commented, “I’m thrilled to join the Boone Memorial Health team to celebrate their rebranding and unveiling of the Boone Memorial Foundation for Community Health. Today represents the next chapter in this organization’s mission to care for and invest in southern West Virginia. The hardworking doctors, nurses, and administrators are the bedrock of Boone Memorial, and I thank them for their tireless work to keep our loved ones healthy and communities strong. I look forward to watching the new foundation support our region for years to come.”
