Providing a Sprawling Health System with One Clear Story

The Situation

Montefiore had evolved from a single Bronx hospital into a major health system encompassing 14 hospitals and over 180 care locations in the Bronx, Westchester and the Lower Hudson Valley. Yet its public identity had not kept pace: many still saw it as a “Bronx hospital,” creating an urgent need for unified, forward-looking messaging.

What We Found

Over five months, we conducted an expansive media audit, landscape analysis of peer institutions, interviews with more than 50 internal and external stakeholders, and public opinion research with 1,000 residents in key counties. We found low brand awareness outside the Bronx, a patchwork of slogans and campaigns, and no clear story tying together Montefiore and the member hospitals. At the same time, there was enormous strength to build on: mission-driven staff, top-ranked specialty care, and a powerful combination of community hospitals, a major academic center and cutting-edge research.

How We Moved

Our team created a system-wide communications plan that recast Montefiore as a single, regional academic health system rather than a collection of sites. The plan introduced simple, research-tested messaging, clarified naming and brand architecture, and aligned internal and external communications so leaders, clinicians and staff could all tell the same story about the new Montefiore.