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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton Hospital now has a new name following the acquisition of the heath system by the University of Alabama-Birmingham Health System Authority in June.

All current Ascension St. Vincent’s hospitals and other health care facilities will be named UAB St. Vincent’s when the transfer is completed in the fall, a press release from the UAB Health System on August 7 said.

Following the announcement of the acquisition in June, both UAB Medicine and Ascension made it clear they wanted to find a way to bring together a name for the facilities that “honors and embraces the people and culture of St. Vincent’s,” the press release said.

“The St. Vincent’s name carries a legacy of exceptional care. By retaining the St. Vincent’s name, we honor the 125-year history and legacy of reverent care that St. Vincent’s has provided … This name also acknowledges the trust and significance that St. Vincent’s holds among its patients and the broader community,” Dawn Bulgarella, UAB Health System CEO, said in the press release. “Collectively, UAB St. Vincent’s is a promise that the dedication and excellence that both health care organizations are known for will be preserved and flourish, ensuring a thriving future for patient care and our shared commitment to strengthening the health of our community.”

The name creation was developed at an August 7 meeting between Ascension and UAB Medicine. Also, during the meeting, the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees Executive Committee approved the creation of the UAB St. Vincent’s Employment Authority, which will be the governing body that will employ current Ascension St. Vincent’s caregivers and associates.

The UAB Health System went on in the press release to assure both its patients and Ascension St. Vincent’s patients that they will both operate under normal procedures throughout the team’s collaborative effort to plan the transition. It also mentioned that UAB St. Vincent’s hospitals will no longer be a Catholic hospital, but employees will “continue their great tradition of serving all persons, with special attention to the poor and vulnerable, with holistic care that improves the health of individuals and the community,” the press release said.

The hospital is a public hospital, and it is not affiliated with a particular faith, however, it did say that it is committed to spiritual health and pastoral care. Its facilities have interfaith chapels with chaplains that will offer guidance for all people specific to their faith and religious traditions.