Gundersen Lutheran Health Systems dropping "Lutheran" from its name

Beginning Wednesday. Gundersen Lutheran Health System will be rebranded as "Gundersen Health System."

Gundersen officials say the new name reflects the organization's growth outside its traditional service area.  "Identities evolve as organizations evolve," explained Gundersen Health System's chief officer of Business Development & Marketing, Pamela Maas.  "To make it easier for people to identify Gundersen services in their communities, it was important for all of them to have a common name. That name is Gundersen,"
 
Since many of Gundersen's affiliated organizations and subsidiaries have a reach far beyond western Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa. the word "Lutheran" caused confusion for people who didn't realize the organization was a healthcare system.

The change means Gundersen's clinic in Decorah will be referred to in the future as simply "Gundersen Decorah Clinic."

However, the change doesn't mean the name "Lutheran" is going away completely.  "Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center" will continue to be the name of the hospital in La Crosse and inpatient and outpatient facilities in La Crosse and Onalaska.