Why the Arch? Explaining the Symbol of KLAS
For many, starting a new year involves looking back at the past with nostalgia. We’ve enjoyed walking memory lane to see how far we’ve come and, in many ways, what has stayed the same.
KLAS started in 1996 using a two-bedroom apartment for our four-person operation. Looking back on the last 20 years, it’s been amazing to see how we’ve grown.
KLAS was founded on the idea that we could change the world’s healthcare for the better. As we’ve expanded, we’ve made great strides in seeing that mission through.
Our logo serves as a great snapshot of our growth. From our first logo, the image of KLAS has grown up right alongside the company.
We quickly learned that to help the healthcare world know who we are and what we do, flat text wouldn’t be enough. We needed something instantly recognizable. We needed a symbol.
Why Choose the Arch?
On the surface, using a geological wonder as the symbol for a healthcare research company makes about as much sense as using a fruit to represent a computer brand.
But the reasons KLAS chose southern Utah’s famous Delicate Arch make it the perfect image to represent our mission.
First, it’s hard to find a landmark more iconic of Utah. Our founders are proud of KLAS’ Utah heritage and couldn’t think of a clearer way to honor where we’ve come from.
The second and more important reason behind choosing Delicate Arch lies in a metaphor from Kent Gale. KLAS wanted to pursue the mission of improving the world’s healthcare by increasing transparency among HIT vendors.
Kent understood that by shining a light on vendors, we placed ourselves in a delicate position between vendors and providers.
The Delicate Arch earns its name by bridging a wide gap and gently balancing on a narrow strip of stone. Similarly, KLAS bridges the gap between the providers and vendors of the healthcare world in an equally delicate manner.
The providers who give us feedback rely on us to accurately present their voice to vendors. They also trust that the data we publish for them is honest, accurate, and impartial. For the hospital looking to invest millions into a system, biased information could spell ruin.
We’re proud to acknowledge that within the industry, there are many who look to our insights to help them make difficult decisions.
The responsibility then rests with us at KLAS to make sure we maintain our integrity. The weight of our mission rests solely on the delicate point of trust we’ve earned from the industry. It’s not a weight that we take lightly.
Yet even as our adopted arch has long stood in spite of its delicacy, we’re confident that KLAS will do the same.