A naming architecture structures our facility and service names so they make sense in relation to each other to:
- help patients better navigate our system
- improve the online search experience
- reinforce visual identification of our facilities
- strengthen brand association with our services
Key naming architecture highlights
Simplicity: The naming architecture is intended to incorporate as much everyday language as possible to maximize understanding by a broad audience, including patients with English as a second language and patients without strong reading skills. It uses terms that consumers are familiar with, such as “Imaging” rather than “Radiology.”
Consistency: Extraneous and repetitive words are removed. The communication formula and hierarchy delivers information in a logical sequence at an increasing level of detail.
Applications
The naming architecture applies to all points within the patient and visitor journey that involve finding the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center health care services within locations and/or more easily navigating to an appointment.
Be sure the name of the location and service is consistent between what can be found online to what is received in reminders (phone, text, mail, email, MyChart) to what is viewed on the building and door of the appointment destination. This includes:
Digital
- Google and other search engine location listings
- wexnermedical.osu.edu Locations and Parking pages
- References to locations and their associated services on wexnermedical.osu.edu
- Maps/directions
- Text reminders
- MyChart locations/confirmations
- HealthBeat HUB news, information and department sites (our faculty and staff are patients too!)
- Patient/visitor flyers
- Patient correspondence
- Exterior facility signage
- Wayfinding signage
- Interior room/clinic/registration identification signage
Verbal
- On-hold messaging
- Automated Voice Response (AVR) recordings
- Phone scripting
- Day-to-day conversation with patients, visitors and colleagues
Naming Hierarchy
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
First reference: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Second reference: the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Third reference: the Wexner Medical Center
Do not use OSU Medical Center, OSUWMC or WMC
Hospitals
When referencing any of our hospitals, always use the entire medical center name on first reference (The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center) and the individual hospital’s name on second and subsequent references, as listed here:
Second reference: Ohio State University Hospital
Third reference: University Hospital
Second reference: Ohio State East Hospital
Third reference: East Hospital
Do not use OSU East
Second reference: Arthur G . James Cancer Hospital and Richard J . Solove Research Institute
Third reference: James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Fourth reference: Any of the previous references or The James
Second reference: Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital
Third reference: Ohio State Ross Heart Hospital
Fourth reference: Ross Heart Hospital
Second reference: Ohio State Brain and Spine Hospital
Second reference: Ohio State Harding Hospital
Do not use Harding Hospital by itself
Second reference: Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital
Do not use Dodd Hall
Multispecialty locations
A single address that offers greater than one departmental area of the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center care is considered a multispecialty location, often known as outpatient care facilities. They should be referenced as “Outpatient Care” followed by the town/city/geographical area to assist with patient, family and visitor navigation.
- “Outpatient Care” is not added when it’s already clear from the donor-named or tenured facility name that a variety of health care services are offered (e.g., Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany, Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute, Eye and Ear).
- The donor’s name precedes “Outpatient Care” in eponymous instances (e.g., Martha Morehouse Outpatient Care instead of Martha Morehouse, and Davis Outpatient Care instead of Davis).
- “Hall” has been dropped where patients are seen (e.g., McCampbell Outpatient Care instead of McCampbell Hall and Talbot instead of Talbot Hall).
The multispecialty category also includes medical office buildings or sites where the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center isn’t the exclusive tenant, but provides health care services from more one than one department. Here, we retain only the name of the locally referenced complex rather than adding “Outpatient Care” (e.g., Officenter Gahanna).
Single-specialty location names
These are instances where a single service occupies an entire building or an exclusive space within a larger office building. The name of the service is followed by the town/city. In situations where the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center operates within another hospital system or business establishment, we will refer to that entity in the name (e.g., Heart and Vascular Fayette Memorial Hospital, Outpatient Rehabilitation Powell YMCA).
Cancer Program
First reference: The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute
Second reference: The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Third reference: OSUCCC – James (nationally) or The James (locally/regionally/specific to the hospital building)
Ohio State College of Medicine
First reference: The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Second reference: Ohio State College of Medicine
Do not use OSU
Naming Dos and Don’ts
NO: OSU
YES: The Ohio State University, Ohio State
NO: OSU Medical Center, WMC or OSUWMC
YES: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
NO: The OSU James
YES: OSUCCC – James, The James
NO: Division of Cardiology
YES: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
NO: James Cancer Hospital
YES: James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
NO: Dodd Hall
YES: Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital
NO: Emergency Room, ER
YES: Emergency Department, ED
NO: Harding Hospital
YES: Ohio State Harding Hospital
NO: Heart and Lung Research Institute
YES: Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute
NO: OB/GYN
YES: Ob/Gyn
NO: OSU East
YES: Ohio State East Hospital
NO: the Ohio State University
YES: The Ohio State University