Broadlane Launches First All-inclusive Orthopedics Service.

Health/Medical Writers

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 2004

Broadlane, the leading provider of innovative business services for the healthcare industry, today announced the launch of the first all-inclusive orthopedics service offered by a single company, designed to help hospitals identify and reduce the skyrocketing costs associated with orthopedics programs. Broadlane's service reduces the cost of a provider's orthopedics program by as much as 20 percent through opportunity assessment, implementation and on-going management.

In addition to significant savings, only Broadlane's service provides a single point of contact for all phases of the program. Broadlane's team of clinical consultants work directly with physicians to analyze the problem outside the traditional GPO framework, provide cost benefit analysis, implement agreed upon recommendations, and provide on-going management to ensure the participants adhere to the program. With Broadlane's service, there is no need to parcel out various components of the project to multiple companies that don't provide a turnkey solution.

Because orthopedic surgeons usually have close relationships with suppliers, which often serve as physicians' chief source of information, neither the traditional GPO nor the typical consulting firm can achieve significant gains in lowering costs of a provider's orthopedics program. To address surgeons' needs for accurate clinical information, Broadlane offers independent clinical experts to consult directly with orthopedic surgeons in making decisions about products that work for them and work for the hospital's bottom line.

Broadlane's comprehensive approach addresses the challenges of creating savings for a provider's orthopedics program on many levels including:

-- Creating a customized orthopedics solution for specific

customer objectives. One size does not fit all.

-- Balancing needs and concerns among surgeons, executives, and

suppliers. Clinical input is addressed from the beginning of

the process.

-- Establishing strategic initiatives for long-term expense and

revenue management.

-- Reducing costs through better management of supplies, product

standardization and improved efficiencies in procedures and

processes.

-- Providing ongoing management of product standardization and

utilization, and cost savings initiatives to sustain long-term

outcomes.

"Our team of experienced clinicians understand the complexities of orthopedics programs, can facilitate physician cooperation, and help an organization successfully integrate best practices to achieve sustainable cost savings," said Hazel Seabrook, vice president, clinical services at Broadlane. "No one company offers a more comprehensive, results-oriented approach."

About Broadlane

Broadlane delivers transformational business services to healthcare providers, enabling them to reduce costs and improve operational performance. Through the application of innovative technology and scaled solutions that range from consulting to full-service management, Broadlane is helping to set new standards for efficient healthcare delivery. Broadlane focuses on a growing list of business operations that includes supply chain management, purchased services and labor solutions.

Broadlane customers include leading healthcare providers such as Advocate Health Care, CHRISTUS Health, Community Health Systems, Continuum Health Partners, Kaiser Permanente, Kindred Healthcare, Tenet Healthcare, The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, Universal Health Services, US Oncology, William Beaumont Hospitals and others. Broadlane counts among its customers more than 800 acute care hospitals, more than 3,400 sub-acute care facilities and thousands of physician practices. Broadlane has offices in San Francisco and Oakland, Calif.; Cincinnati; Dallas; and New York City. For more information, visit www.broadlane.com.