Author: Rodney Collins, Practice Manager

When we set out to create a practice that would encapsulate Dr. Bailey’s impressive training and passion for patient care, we faced a monumental task: naming our practice. Initially it seemed that this would be the easy part, but it was harder than we thought. In the field of surgical dermatology, most practice names are somewhat generic.  We wanted to stand out because we knew that we were different. We wanted a practice name that not only speaks to what we do, but also tells the story of who we are as a practice and what we care about most. Thus, Naaman Clinic was born.

We knew that what we named our practice would be more than just a name. Sure, it’d be stitched into our scrubs, printed on our business cards and promoted on our social media. But at the same time, it must reflect the manner in which we work with our patients each day. We wanted a name that embodies our approach to patient care, and for that, we needed to talk to the experts.

We reached out to a local branding and graphic design agency. As a group, they helped us begin the naming process. Discussions eventually centered around words like “restoration” and “renewal” to express the core values of our practice. Even though we already had a clear vision of what we wanted the name to communicate, the naming process took time. We knew we had one shot to get it right, and we didn’t want to miss the mark.

Eventually, we embraced the story of Naaman in the Bible:

Naaman was a powerful Syrian military commander who early on is described as “proud,” even “arrogant.” Much to Naaman’s dismay, he discovers he has a terrible skin disease – leprosy. Naaman’s leprosy not only threatened to eventually kill him, but (possibly worse to Naaman) it also threatened to strip him of his identity and remove him from power. Naaman sought out a prophet, Elisha, desperate for healing, and so the story goes. Elisha instructs Naaman to wash himself in the Jordan river, and his skin “was restored like the flesh of a little child.” He received healing both internally and externally. As his skin was restored, so was his self-image. (2 Kings 5:1‐14)

The story of Naaman closely aligns to our mission and core values. His is a beautiful story of healing and restoration that even spoke to our area of practice – the skin. Dr. Bailey sees patients who are struggling with all kinds of skin conditions, and these conditions often cause them more than physical pain. Patients also must come to terms with the emotional pain associated with their skin issue, as a lack of confidence can impact every area of our life.  Dr. Bailey works extremely hard to treat these conditions and to restore patients’ confidence so that they may be able to experience life more fully.

Patients come to Naaman Clinic looking for what Naaman himself was looking for: to be made whole again. As we chose to name ourselves after Naaman, we also internalized his story as a part of who we are. We have a mantra that reflects what we’ve taken from this story and how we apply it to our work every day:

“We are Naaman Clinic. We provide restoration to the hurt and hurting. We offer a place of careful instruction and service, where even the most insecure can feel at ease. We care for the whole person. More than treatment, we provide thoughtful care that encourages and edifies. We are here to serve. We serve with precision. We serve with careful diagnosis. We serve with intention. We serve with hearts humbled by the needs around us, and ready to bring answers and solutions. We are a place of hope and healing. We are a place of restoration—within and without.”