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PAHCS has agreed to purchase two long-term care centers from the Good Samaritan Society: the Good Samaritan Care Center in Paynes-ville and Hilltop Good Samaritan Center in Watkins. The $1.8 million purchase will be finalized on April 1.

Because the term "Good Samaritan" is a propriety name belonging to the Good Samaritan Society, names for both facilities needed to be changed. The Watkins facility will be known again as the Hilltop Care Center, simply omitting the current reference to the Good Samaritan Society.

The Good Samaritan Care Center, which was established in Paynes-ville in 1953, posed a larger challenge in renaming, since its name was virtually synonymous with the Good Samaritan Society. A staff contest was held during the first week of February to seek suggestions for a new name for the facility.

Staff submitted 15 names, according to Jay Ophoven, who is currently the director of nursing at the Good Samaritan and will be the long-term care administrator at PAHCS after the merger is complete.

Six submissions included the name Washburne, because the care center is located at 311 Washburne Avenue. Ophoven said submissions using the name "Washburne" included Washburne Court, Washburne Commons, Washburne Center, and Washburne Lane.

The PAHCS executive council chose Washburne Court in mid-February. Good Samaritan Care Center employee Linda Frenchick was awarded $25 in Chamber bucks for submitting the winning entry.