North Carolina Hospital’s New Slogan, ‘Cheat Death,’ Draws Criticism

A North Carolina hospital's new slogan is raising some eyebrows. CaroMont Regional Medical Center is planning a whole marketing campaign around the “Cheat Death” motto and accompanying health initiative, which will also include working with local restaurants and gyms.

Gaston Memorial Hospital, located in Gastonia, N.C., was recently renamed CaroMont Regional Medical Center, and as part of the new branding, the hospital adopted the “Cheat Death” slogan. The catchphrase will be part of a larger marketing push by the hospital as it aims to work with local restaurants to develop menus and gyms to develop new workouts.

In a press release announcing the new tagline and initiative, the hospital said, “When you get beyond the initial shock, isn’t that exactly what you want your healthcare provider to help you do? It’s exactly what we help our patients do every day of the year.”

CaroMont Regional explains that the goal is to get people to eat better, exercise and be happier, which, in turn, will lead to a longer life, thus cheating death. The campaign will promote healthy lifestyle changes.

Plenty of research went into the new tagline. CaroMont Regional cited a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin that ranked the health status of each county within each state. For North Carolina, Gaston County was 81st among 100 counties. Based on this data, the hospital said, “To put it bluntly, we have a health crisis in Gaston County. And to solve it, we’re going to have to transition to an entirely new structure of delivering healthcare.”

CaroMont wants to create a “health movement” that goes beyond what the hospital can provide in regards to treatment. To that end, it will develop projects and initiatives in conjunction with the community, such as a “Cheat Death Kit” providing information and resources that could help residents improve their health. These kits could be distributed by business, schools, churches, community centers or gyms. Other ideas include menu items such as a “Cheat Death Smoothie” and new exercise/workout plans.

While the hospital’s goals are praiseworthy, some individuals are criticizing CaroMont for its morbid take on improving health. County commissioner Jason Williams said the hospital should focus on positive aspects of improving health rather than avoiding death, and he suggested the slogan might diminish the hospital’s efforts and work, reports Associated Press.