Los Robles Hospital Takes Former Name

Three years after Los Robles Regional Medical Center changed its name, an abrupt reversal of corporate marketing strategy means the Conejo Valley institution will get its old moniker back.

Los Robles became Columbia Los Robles Hospital/Medical Center in 1995, but is reverting to its former name, retroactive to Jan. 1, officials with owner Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp announced Tuesday.

“It’s what we’ve been since 1972,” said spokesman Kris Carraway. “It’s a name we’re familiar with, it’s a name that gives us a very strong comfort level and it’s a name we strongly identify with.”

Besides, the community mostly ignored the name change, persisting in calling the 234-bed hospital by its former name, she said.

The name changed after Columbia bought out previous owners Healthcare Corp. of America in 1994. The giant chain, which owns about 350 hospitals in the U.S., as well as others in Great Britain, Spain and Switzerland, opted for a new name in an effort to create brand awareness among consumers, Carraway said.

However, when the company’s top two executives left the company last year in a corporate shake-up stemming from a government investigation into Medicare fraud, Tommy Frist, the founder of HCA, took over the reins once more, she said.

Frist disbanded the corporation’s marketing department and re-emphasized connecting with the community.

“It’s kind of like going back to your maiden name,” Carraway said.

“We want the community to know we’ve pretty much returned to our roots.”