The second phase of Southwell’s name conversion will take place in June and will include the system’s newly designated Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).

Certified by Medicare and Medicaid, an RHC is a special clinic designed to increase access to primary care services for patients in rural communities. The following RHC clinics will receive a name change in June 2020:

• Affinity Clinic – changing to Southwell Medical Clinic

• Tift Community Health Center—changing to Southwell Medical Community Health Center

• Sylvester Family Practice – changing to Southwell Medical Sylvester Primary Care

• Ashburn Primary Care – changing to Southwell Medical Ashburn Primary Care

• Nashville Primary Care – changing to Southwell Medical Nashville Primary Care 

The nephrology practice will also be changing its name to Southwell Nephrology and moving to 39 Kent Road, Suite 1, in Cypress Pointe Professional Park in Tifton. 

“Although the names of these clinics are changing, you can still expect to see the same great care and the same great people at each of these facilities,” said Southwell President and CEO Chris Dorman. “We have not been acquired, and we remain a locally-operated health care institution dedicated to providing exceptional care.”

Tift Regional Health System (TRHS) announced Southwell as the new name for its overall system of care on June 20, 2019. The name Southwell is meant to promote healthy living in the south, and it is also a reference to B.L. Southwell, the first and longest serving chairman of the Hospital Authority of Tift County. Mr. Southwell was an animal research scientist at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, and he served as chairman of the Hospital Authority of Tift County from 1947-1993.

“Our progressive healthcare institution is what it is today by the virtue of Mr. Southwell’s vision and leadership,” said Dorman. “He volunteered his time, knowledge, and skills to enhance the community, and we wanted to honor his leadership and his many contributions in a big way.” 

Prior to announcing the system name change, TRHS had restructured as a non-for-profit entity in order to grow their services and expand their geographic footprint. 

“Our modern healthcare institution is what it is today by the virtue of Mr. Southwell’s vision and leadership,” said Dorman. “He volunteered his time, knowledge, and skills to enhance the community, and we wanted to honor his leadership and his many contributions.” 

The first phase of the system name change happened with Southwell’s facilities in Cook County. In October 2019, Southwell Medical in Adel opened. This new, acute care facility replaced the former Cook Medical Center. 

Future renaming phases are planned, which will conclude with the Southwell branding of Tift Regional Medical Center and its surrounding campus.  This will coincide with the opening of Tift Regional’s $152 million expansion project, which includes a new hospital entrance, emergency center, and three floors of new inpatient units.

“We are very excited about what our future holds,” Dorman said.