Whidbey General Hospital commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with a plan to rebrand the hospital and its clinics under the umbrella name WhidbeyHealth.

The organization is more than a hospital, and a unified brand will help the public recognize the eight clinics and other specialty services offered, said CEO Geri Forbes.

“Part of what we have not done well is let people know who we are,” she said. “I think naming will help that.”

WhidbeyHealth — all one word — will precede the individual names of the hospital district’s clinics and other services.

The hospital’s new name is WhidbeyHealth Medical Center.

Hospital officials conducted “extensive market research” that supports the need for a name and brand that reflects the hospital district’s mission and services, according to the approved resolution.

What’s not clear is what rebranding the hospital district costs, since the money comes out of different department budgets. Hospital commissioners also approved the plan without an estimate from hospital officials on what implementing the plan will cost.

Forbes assured the board that the hospital will make the change as economically as possible. Some facilities, for instance, don’t have any signs now and would have needed one anyway.

“People need to realize this isn’t running around and changing every street sign,” she said.

Before the vote, a few of the board members noted they heard from taxpayers who thought the plan was a waste of money.

“What I heard is, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’” said hospital Commissioner Nancy Fey. “They feel changing it is a big detriment and that most of the public realizes Whidbey General is more than a hospital.”

The commissioners wanted the hospital to move forward with rebranding and a separate group that includes members of the public discussed the issue for more than a year, she said.

In commissioner Georgia Gardner’s experience, most people can’t name any of the district’s clinics or services — other than the doctor’s office they go to.

During the public comment period, Dr. Richard Wagner of Coupeville asked the board to address the financial implications.

“What will this do to benefit health care?” he asked.

Commission President Anne Tarrant said the board didn’t have to respond to questions during a public comment period.

The hospital district is calculating the costs of the rebrand at the request of the Whidbey News Group. An answer was not available by press time.