(Radio Iowa/Wisconsin Radio Network) – A healthcare company that’s familiar in northeast Iowa is changing its name. Gundersen Health Systems has merged with Bellin Health. Both are based in Wisconsin. The company will now be known as Emplify Health, although C-E-O Scott Rathgaber says it will take time to make the change.

“You’ll initially start to see when it comes out as Emplify Health by Gunderson and Emplify Health by Bellin,” he says, “to make sure people know that we are honoring those legacies, that we are becoming from those foundations and not tearing them down.” The new name is a new word. Emplify is drawn from both “empathy,” defined as feeling aware of another’s emotions, and the word “amplify,” which means to increase. Rathgaber says the new name will be worked in gradually.

“People will see the same doctors, same locations and get the exact same experience and high quality of care,” he says. Bellin and Gundersen Health Systems merged in December of 2022.

Emplify Health operates clinics and hospitals in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. In Iowa, the system has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.