Kalispell Regional Healthcare announced recently the company will be rebranded as Logan Health beginning in January, a change leaders say is another step toward becoming a more integrated system.

The new name, which is not associated with a merger or acquisition, pays tribute to Logan Pass in Glacier National Park. An informational document on the rebrand states the pass is an iconic site for Montanans and is a “point of pride and is the timeless embodiment of permanence and perseverance.”

The company said the reason for the rebrand is to create a more unified structure for all of its entities and locations.

“Our continued growth has brought us to a pivotal point,” Craig Lambrecht, president and CEO of Kalispell Regional Healthcare, said in a prepared statement. “We feel that now is the time to truly unify our organization and move forward under the one name of Logan Health.”

In a letter to hospital staff, Lambrecht said as the hospital system has expanded over the years, patients have had to navigate several different brands that are all associated with the parent company. He said by moving to one brand, the network can “eliminate confusion and unite our organizations and workforces.”

As one example, the newly opened Montana Children’s will assume the new name, Logan Health Children’s.

“Our patients expect that we deliver on a brand promise of exceptional care and an outstanding experience and you will see a renewed focus on our brand promise over the coming months,” Lambrecht wrote.

Patients will see changes across all of Kalispell Regional’s entities, which according to Chief Transformation Officer Cindy Morrison, will make their experiences feel more connected.

“With this new name, our patients — no matter where they receive care — will have more of a seamless and streamlined experience,” Morrison said. “This makes it easier for them to find us in their communities and connect with us when they need us. And while our signs and the name on our badges are changing, our commitment to delivering high-quality health care is the same as it’s always been.”

Properties under the Kalispell Regional Healthcare umbrella currently include Kalispell Regional Medical Center, Montana Children’s, Pathways Treatment Center, Brendan House, The HealthCenter, The Summit and North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.

Hospital officials have been working to expand that network. In early 2019, the Toole County commissioners put out a request for proposals for an entity to purchase several county-owned health-care facilities in Shelby. Kalispell Regional and Benefis Health System in Great Falls submitted proposals, but the commissioners unanimously accepted Kalispell Regional’s multi-million dollar offer to purchase and eventually expand the Marias Medical Center, Marias Care Center, Heritage Center and Brittan House.

Aside from the Toole County facilities, leaders have also been eyeing potential acquisitions involving Northern Rockies Medical Center in Cut Bank and Pondera Medical Center in Conrad, though none of these are set in stone.