TIFTON, Ga. — Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) unveiled Southwell as the new name for its overall system of care on June 10.

The announcement took place at the same time as a groundbreaking for a new patient tower.

Christopher Dorman, Southwell president and CEO, announced that TRMC, Cook Medical Center and the system’s 25 physician practices will now be linked together with the brand name Southwell.

“Southwell is serving as our new system name,” Dorman said. “Tift Regional Medical Center, Cook Medical Center and our 25 physician practices will all remain the same under that leadership. Tift Regional will always be Tift Regional.”

He said that while TRMC has been an anchor for Tift County, the health system expanding into other counties made hospital leadership consider a less geographically limited name.

“Today we serve about 260,000 patients across 12 counties,” he said. “We don’t have primary care access in many of those communities so through this we can expand access to care in counties we already serve but don’t have a footprint or asset located in those communities.”

He said that part of Southwell’s mission is to expand care throughout the region, not just in counties that touch Tift County.

“As we expand, our other communities we serve have pride in their communities,” he said. “The name ‘Tifton’ is really rooted back here in our community in Tift County. For us to be able to expand and support those communities that are just outside our current reach, we felt it was necessary to develop a new name.”

Dorman said that the Southwell system name and corporate identity would be rolled out at various facilities over the coming months and years.

“Though we have a new name for our overall system, our network of care is still comprised of the same great people,” Dorman said. “We remain a locally-operated healthcare institution dedicated to providing exceptional care.”

Dorman stressed that TRMC has not been acquired.

“We just have a new system name to connect all our services together,” he said. “Tift Regional Medical Center will remain Tift Regional Medical Center, but it is now an important hub of the Southwell family of services.”

Dorman said the name Southwell promotes healthy living in the south, but is also a reference to B.L. Southwell, the first and longest-serving chairman of the Hospital Authority of Tift County. He served as chairman from 1947-1993.

“Mr. Southwell was an animal research scientist at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton who volunteered his time, knowledge and skills to enhance the community,” said Dorman. “Our progressive healthcare institution is what it is today by the virtue of Mr. Southwell’s vision and leadership.”

Dorman said the goal is to capitalize on Tift Regional’s success and take it even further by leveraging the new Southwell name into a brand that is synonymous with high-quality care.

“I am excited at what our future holds,” said Dorman.