Third Annual Supply Chain Collaborative Breakthrough Series Kicks off in New Orleans.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN DIEGO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2003

Forty-nine supply chain improvement teams from Premier member hospitals gathered in New Orleans September 10 - 12 to kick off the Third Annual Supply Chain Breakthrough Series.

The Supply Chain Collaborative Breakthrough Series is an annual initiative available to members of Premier, Inc., an alliance of 200 not-for-profit hospitals and health systems. It was offered to Premier members in 2001 in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the delivery of healthcare services.

Utilizing IHI's "Model for Improvement," a proven breakthrough system, participants work collaboratively with their peers from other leading healthcare organizations committed to accelerating breakthrough improvements. The success of the previous two breakthrough series has generated a great deal of excitement among this year's participants. Seventy-two teams from more than 100 hospitals have taken part over the last two years, generating a cumulative savings of more than $23 million.

"The electricity at the first learning session was great," said Mike Churchman, Director of Materials Management at St. Luke's Episcopal Health System in Houston, TX and co-chair of the third annual series. "I believe the teams were anxious to get started in the Breakthrough Series because of the success that participants achieved in the previous collaboratives. It was exciting to watch the participants exchange ideas and refine their strategy for achieving their goals."

Debbie Schmidt, co-chair and Director, Materials Management at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, IL adds, "I think it's great that teams from all over the country - from organizations large and small, urban and rural, system-based or stand alone - join together to share experiences and gather cost-saving ideas. The Breakthrough Series has proven itself to be a winning motivator for delivering significant cost savings."

Over the next nine months, participants have pledged to implement changes that will significantly improve operations and potentially eliminate millions of dollars in unnecessary supply-related expenses. Collaborators are implementing "change concepts" throughout various parts of the supply chain to ensure that clinicians have access to the right products, at the right time, and at the right price. Target areas include:

-- Contract administration

-- Supply chain automation

-- Perioperative supply chain

-- Cardiac cath lab supply chain

-- Pharmacy

Each of the member teams has established its own goals, or "aim statements," aligned with the strategic goals with its organization. Participants use IHI's Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, in which collaborators plan a small-scale intervention, implement the plan, analyze the data and summarize the results of the intervention, then implement the change or plan for another PDSA cycle. Teams share their progress at learning sessions; through monthly data sharing; and through e-mail and conference calls. The second learning session is scheduled for December.

To learn more about Premier's supply chain improvement collaborative, contact Gay Wayland at [e-mail].

About Premier, Inc.

Premier, Inc., is a strategic alliance in U.S. healthcare, entirely owned by nearly 200 of the nation's leading hospital and healthcare systems. These systems operate or are affiliated with nearly 1,500 hospital facilities in 50 states and hundreds of other care sites. Premier provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery in the key areas of supply chain improvement and group purchasing, comparative data and benchmarking, and insurance. Premier is headquartered in San Diego, CA, with offices in Chicago, IL; and Charlotte, NC. Advocacy and policy offices are located in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.