Three Healthcare Executives Named to Premier's Group Purchasing and Member Relations Committee; One West Virginia, Two Ohio Health System Leaders Appointed.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Executives from three of the nation's leading not-for-profit healthcare systems have been named to leadership roles with the Group Purchasing and Member Relations Committee of Premier Inc., a leading strategic alliance of more than 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals.

The Premier Board of Directors appointed J. Thomas Jones, president and CEO of the West Virginia United Health System (WVUHS), to chair the committee in 2006. The board also appointed two new committee members - Michael P. O'Boyle, CPA, chief operating officer of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Health System, and A. David Jimenez, FACHE, executive vice president, Catholic Healthcare Partners, Cincinnati, OH.

"These individuals lead three of the largest and most successful healthcare systems in our nation," said Richard A. Norling, Premier president and CEO. "Premier members and owners will certainly benefit from the experience and expertise these energetic and highly respected healthcare leaders will bring to the work of such an important committee."

The committee provides general oversight of Premier's group purchasing programs and member relations. Among its duties, the committee oversees policy development and implementation; advises management regarding the owner recruitment plan, general owner and affiliate relations, and ways of strengthening those relationships; advises management regarding group purchasing strategies and implementation plans; and reports to the board on member policy issues.

"We need members of the Group Purchasing and Member Relations Committee who are committed to ensuring that Premier positively assists our owners, members and affiliates in achieving their strategic objectives," said Susan D. DeVore, president, Premier Purchasing Partners. "We could not have found three individuals who better understand the complexities of the modern healthcare industry or the value Premier brings to improving healthcare cost and quality."

Jones joined WVUHS in 2002 to head the largest healthcare system in West Virginia. WVUHS includes the West Virginia University Hospital, United Hospital Center, West Virginia University Hospital - East City Hospital and Jefferson Memorial Hospital, United Physicians Care and Health Partners Network. Jones previously was CEO of Genesis Hospital System, Inc., in Huntington, W.Va., and held executive positions with St. Mary's Hospital in Huntington and Wheeling (W.Va.) Hospital.

O'Boyle, who was named COO in June 2005, has overall responsibility for operations at The Cleveland Clinic's main campus, as well as all hospitals and strategic business units within the Cleveland Clinic Health System and Cleveland Clinic Florida. He also oversees multiple strategic initiatives including construction of The Cleveland Clinic's new $400 million Heart Center. He had served as COO of The Cleveland Clinic since 2001.

Jimenez became executive vice president of Catholic Healthcare Partners in 2001 and oversees five CHP regions and the system's information management team. He previously served as the system's senior vice president and president and CEO of its Northern Region. CHP is one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in the United States and the largest in Ohio. It encompasses more than 100 organizations including 28 acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, housing sites for the elderly, home health agencies, hospice programs, and wellness centers. CHP serves Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and nearby states.

About Premier, Inc.

Premier, Inc., the leader in helping hospitals accelerate performance on both clinical outcomes and supply chain costs, is a healthcare alliance entirely owned by more than 200 of the nation's leading not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems. These organizations operate or are affiliated with more than 1,400 hospitals and more than 37,000 other healthcare sites. Premier Purchasing Partners provides an array of services supporting health services delivery including group purchasing totaling more than $25 billion annually in supplies and equipment purchasing, as well as supply chain and clinical performance improvement services. Premier Healthcare Informatics offers performance measurement, benchmarking, and reporting products and advisory services supporting quality improvement. Premier Insurance Management Services helps hospitals manage insurance costs and improve risk management and claims capabilities. Headquartered in San Diego, Premier has offices in Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, and Washington. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.