August 31, 2009
Springfield, Ore. — Oregon Medical Laboratories (OML), Northwest Regional Laboratory (NWRL) and the Ketchikan General Hospital laboratory today announced that their names will change to PeaceHealth Laboratories beginning this week. The name change recognizes the laboratories’ relationship to PeaceHealth, their parent company, and is the next step in the unification that began last year of the three highly regarded laboratories into one system.
“Although our name is changing, the people, services and high standards of care we provide will remain the same,” says Ran Whitehead, CEO of the laboratory system. “We represent laboratories in Oregon, Washington and Alaska, and our new name will work well in all three states. We are pleased to have our new name reflect our long-term relationship to PeaceHealth and its mission of promoting personal and community health.
OML was founded in 1986 as a partnership between PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Ore., and a group of local physicians. It became wholly owned by PeaceHealth in 2000. The largest of the three organizations, it includes six laboratory locations. Its Springfield, Ore., office serves as the headquarters for the laboratory system.
NWRL in Bellingham, Wash., has been part of PeaceHealth’s St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, Wash., since 1989 when it was acquired as part of a merger with St. Luke’s Hospital. Its main laboratory is at St. Joseph Hospital with a second laboratory at PeaceHealth Medical Group, also in Bellingham.
PeaceHealth-owned Ketchikan General Hospital opened in 1963 and serves the entire Southeast Alaska region. The St. John Medical Center laboratory in Longview, Wash., will join the laboratory system later this year and also adopt the new name.
The change in name reflects the organizational structure already in place and does not affect staffing levels, locations, services or community commitment.
About PeaceHealth Laboratories
PeaceHealth Laboratories combines innovation and state-of-the-art technology with outstanding service and value to provide medical diagnostic tests, clinical laboratory consultation and drug testing services to health care providers and individuals throughout the Pacific Northwest. With nine laboratories and 22 patient service centers spanning Washington, Oregon and Alaska, PeaceHealth Laboratories is one of the largest laboratory systems in the region. It is designated as a Molecular Center of Excellence by Roche Molecular Diagnostics. With headquarters in Springfield, Ore., it shares the PeaceHealth vision that every patient will receive safe, evidence-based compassionate care; every time, every touch. For more information about PeaceHealth Laboratories, visit www.peacehealthlabs.org.
Media Contact:Linda Hawley, ManagerMarketing & CommunicationsPeaceHealth Laboratorieslhawley@peacehealthlabs.org541.984.8225
