Effective October 5, 2019, the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association has changed our name to RVNAhealth. The name change reflects the organization’s breadth of services and regional reach, both of which have expanded significantly in the last decades.
RVNAhealth currently serves 28 towns in Connecticut, and offers care and wellness services for all ages, stages and levels of health. The name change is the culmination of a strategic Rebranding initiative that was launched in 2014.
Explains Theresa Santoro, MSN, RN, RVNAhealth President & CEO, “’Rebranding’ was identified at our 2014 strategic retreat when we recognized that there was an increasing disconnect between our direction – who we are, what we do, where we do it, and where we’re headed – and the name by which we call ourselves. It warranted examination and action.”
The Evolution of RVNAhealth
RVNAhealth was founded in 1914 as the ‘District Nursing Association’ with a single nurse traveling by foot to serve Ridgefield families in their homes. Over the decades, the organization added community wellness services, as well as public health services for the town of Ridgefield. Staff increased, offices moved, new towns were added to the service area, and the organization’s name was tweaked -– more than once.
The ‘District Nursing Association’ became the ‘Visiting Nurse Association of Ridgefield’ in 1994 and then the ‘Ridgefield Visiting Nursing Association’ in 2006.
The organization’s growth since 2006 has been particularly remarkable.
Non-medical caregivers, an outpatient rehabilitation and wellness center, hospice services and an increasing wealth of prevention and wellness services have been added to the organization’s ‘continuum of care.’
Additionally, the RVNAhealth Center for Exceptional Care in Ridgefield CT opened in 2016, offering rehabilitation, nursing services, nutritional counseling and educational programs all on-premises – not to mention housing the administrative staff.
“Our growth has been very organic, in that we have added services in direct response to patient needs and natural evolutions in the landscape of healthcare,” says Santoro. “We have bolstered and refined our services that aid recovery and recuperation, plus added services that focus on prevention, independence, comfort and end-of-life care.”
It was during this growth spurt that the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association ‘outgrew’ our name. “As we examined the name, through internal analysis, focus groups, ideation sessions and competitive analysis,” explains Santoro, “it was clear that the geographic and service limitations of the name made it very confusing to the very people we were aiming to serve. It was time for another change.”
The new RVNAhealth name and brand are less a shift in direction, and more a formalization of the direction and course the agency has already taken. The new name retains the RVNA legacy and reputation, while expressing the umbrella under which all services reside: Health.
In addition to the name change, the organization has redefined our overall brand to convey the comprehensive and integrated approach that RVNAhealth brings to care and wellness services. A new tagline, For Lifelong Care and Wellness, has been added; the look and feel have been updated; and services have been re-categorized to represent the continuum of care that is unique to RVNAhealth.
The new categories, the WELLs, include:
BEWELL: Services to Keep You Healthy
GETWELL: Services to Recover your Best Health
STAYWELL: Services to Remain Safely in Your Home
COMFORTWELL: Hospice Care to Provide Comfort and Peace
All current RVNAhealth services reside under these categories. (See “Services at a Glance” for details.)
No Item Unturned …
The name change announcement was made at the annual RVNAhealth Autumn Dinner on Saturday, October 5, 2019 to an audience of over 200 close friends and supporters. Following the announcement, the rollout of the brand new name and identify begins with a new website (rvnahealth.org), social media sites, clinical apparel; building signage; printed materials, email addresses, stationery …. You name it, it needs to be updated!
To schedule an interview or learn about RVNAhealth and the Rebranding initiative, please contact Nancy Rowe, Director of Marketing & Public Relations at nrowe@rvnahealth.org or 203-438-5555 x1033.
About RVNAhealth
RVNAhealth (formerly Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association, or RVNA), is a private, non-profit, mission-driven organization that continues to thrive since our inception over a century ago. Our name, services, and reach evolve to meet the care and wellness needs of all those we serve. Our focus on excellent care, quality and safety, and our guiding philosophy remains intact – the individuals we care for come first.
*Note: HomeCare by RVNA, Rehab by RVNA, and Hospice by RVNA are all now also doing business as RVNAhealth.