CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 27, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wisconsin-based Agnesian HealthCare has joined Premier, Inc. (Nasdaq:PINC) to leverage supply chain and performance improvement services that support the integration of care delivery and purchasing practices system-wide.
A non-profit integrated Catholic healthcare system, Agnesian HealthCare boasts one community hospital and two critical access hospitals, as well as behavioral health clinics, local pharmacies and specialty care centers. The healthcare system chose Premier for access to the alliance's group purchasing organization, supply chain analytics and ASCEND®performance improvement collaborative to drive cost efficiencies, promote better outcomes and advance population health management. This is Agnesian HealthCare's first engagement with Premier.
"Agnesian HealthCare is based in tightly-knit, family-oriented communities that depend on us to improve their health amidst today's evolving healthcare environment," said Steve Little, Agnesian HealthCare president and chief executive officer. "We believe that by leveraging Premier solutions, expertise and purchasing power, we can further provide the cost-effective, efficient high-quality care our friends, families and neighbors deserve."
As a new alliance member, Agnesian HealthCare will use Premier's integrated technology platform PremierConnect® to access these Premier services, which enable enterprise-wide purchasing decisions that improve cost management and sustainability. Industry-leading analytics in PremierConnect rapidly aggregate and normalize clinical and supply chain data across the continuum of care for access to actionable insights, all in one place. It also enables real-time member interactions across the nation.
"We are very excited about our new relationship with Premier," said Perry Willmore, director of supply chain management with Agnesian HealthCare. "As a faith-based organization, we feel this is a good fit for our culture and our ability to serve the good people of northeastern Wisconsin."
Agnesian HealthCare will leverage Premier's group purchasing contracts for better pricing on quality products, and spend analytics to more strategically aggregate and measure supply chain costs. In addition, as a new participant in Premier's ASCEND collaborative, Agnesian HealthCare can identify and implement performance improvement opportunities by aggregating, monitoring and comparing supply chain data and best practices with peers.
"Agnesian HealthCare is one of Wisconsin's leading healthcare systems and we're thrilled to welcome them to the alliance," said Michael J. Alkire, chief operating officer, Premier. "Providers are facing significant challenges that require integrated transformations to fully manage the health of a population. We're here to serve as their partner in simplifying care delivery decisions and practices, so that they can focus on providing excellent care."
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
About Agnesian HealthCare
Agnesian HealthCare, through its seven Fond du Lac area provider organizations, offers a wide array of quality inpatient and outpatient healthcare services for families throughout the region. With hospitals in Fond du Lac, Ripon and Waupun and 12 Fond du Lac Regional Clinic offices, the care of more than 100 primary and specialty care physicians is available. A staff of more than 3,000 associates and physicians are the backbone of Agnesian HealthCare, which includes Agnesian Pharmacy/Prescription Centers and Agnesian Health Shoppe, Consultants Laboratory, Fond du Lac Regional Clinic, Ripon Medical Center St. Agnes Hospital, St. Francis Home and Waupun Memorial Hospital. Agnesian HealthCare is sponsored by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.
About Premier, Inc.
Premier, Inc. (Nasdaq:PINC) is a leading healthcare improvement company, uniting an alliance of approximately 3,000 U.S. hospitals and 110,000 other providers to transform healthcare. With integrated data and analytics, collaboratives, supply chain solutions, and advisory and other services, Premier enables better care and outcomes at a lower cost. Premier, a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, plays a critical role in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry, collaborating with members to co-develop long-term innovations that reinvent and improve the way care is delivered to patients nationwide. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier is passionate about transforming American healthcare. Please visit Premier's news and investor sites on www.premierinc.com; as well as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Foursquare and Premier's blog for more information about the company.
Forward-looking statements
Matters discussed in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts, such as Agnesian HealthCare's anticipated use of Premier's supply chain services at expected levels, as discussed herein, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Premier to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward looking statements. In addition to statements that explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements in the conditional or future tenses or that include terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" to be uncertain and forward-looking. Forward-looking statements may include comments as to Premier's beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside Premier's control. More information on potential factors that could affect Premier's financial results is included from time to time in the "Forward Looking Statements," "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of Premier's periodic and current filings with the SEC and available on Premier's website at investors.premierinc.com. Forward looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Premier undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise that occur after that date.
CONTACT: Morgan Bridges-Guthrie, Premier, Inc.; 704.816.4152; Morgan_Bridges@PremierInc.com