GHXcellence Award Nominations Open Honoring Achievements in Improving Supply Chain Performance

LOUISVILLE, Colo., Dec. 21, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- GHX today announced the criteria for the 2010 GHXcellence Awards honoring healthcare provider and supplier organizations for their achievements in improving supply chain performance. New for this year, GHX customers have the opportunity to nominate themselves or their business partners for the 2010 Most Innovative Provider and Supplier awards, which showcase provider and supplier organizations that have demonstrated innovation in implementing GHX tools and related business processes to improve their supply chain performance. The award criteria and nomination form can be accessed through the GHX website at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/W22RV9Y. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2011.

There are 14 GHXcellence Award categories this year, recognizing healthcare providers, suppliers and distributors for supply chain improvements that are achieved leveraging GHX services in a number of areas—from increased use of e-commerce to reduced exception rates. The criteria for many of the GHXcellence Awards are based on quantifiable performance, with organizations being judged on metrics such as their percentage increase in purchase order lines, number of electronic trading partners or market share gains. However, GHX customers can, for the first time, now submit nominations for the Most Innovative Provider and Supplier awards, for which the criteria are more subjective, with nominees being judged on how they've achieved supply chain excellence through innovations using GHX services to substantially improve business processes and technology.

Judging the nominees for the Most Innovative Provider and Supplier awards is the GHX Supply Chain Advisory Council, a panel of healthcare supply chain experts from the industry. The winners of the GHXcellence Awards will be announced at the 11th annual GHX Healthcare Supply Chain Summit in Dallas, April 18–20, 2011.

"It was an honor for our organization to be recognized last year for the accomplishments that we've achieved to build a more accurate and efficient supply chain," said Varlen L. Gibbs, CMRP, Logistics and Data Services administrator for WellSpan Health, which was named 2009 GHXcellence U.S. Healthcare Provider of the Year, announced at the 2010 Supply Chain Summit.  "Improving the accuracy and efficiency of the healthcare supply chain is critical to both patient safety and the financial viability of the industry, so we applaud GHX in supporting supply chain innovation and continuous improvement through this annual awards program."

GHX will present four "most innovative" awards this year. The Most Innovative Provider for Business Process Change and Most Innovative Supplier for Business Process Change awards recognize providers and suppliers that have made business process improvements across their organizations to automate their supply chains. The Most Innovative Provider for Technology and Most Innovative Supplier for Technology awards honor providers and suppliers that have used technology in an innovative manner to improve data management, orders and supply chain processes. Additional 2010 GHXcellence Award categories include:

• Healthcare Provider of the Year (U.S.)
• Healthcare Provider of the Year (Canada)
• Most Improved Healthcare Provider (Purchase Order Growth)
• Most Improved Healthcare Provider (Invoice Growth)
• My Exchange Order Center Usage (Provider)
• Best 50 IDN
• Healthcare Supplier of the Year (U.S.)
• Healthcare Supplier of the Year (Canada)
• Distributor of the Year
• Best in Class – Market Intelligence

"We encourage all of our supply chain partners to consider nominating themselves for an award, or to consider nominating one of their trading partners that exemplifies innovation in supply chain management," said Bruce Johnson, GHX president and CEO. "This is a terrific opportunity to recognize the excellent work being performed in our customers' organizations throughout the year."

About GHX

As the business hub for healthcare, Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) enables healthcare providers and suppliers in North America and Europe to reduce costs and improve margins by automating processes, reducing operating expenses and increasing knowledge-based decision making.  Products and services include trading partner connectivity, order and contract management and validation, data synchronization, sales force automation and business intelligence. Equity owners of GHX are Abbott Exchange, Inc.; AmerisourceBergen Corp.; Baxter Healthcare Corp.; B. Braun Medical Inc.; BD; Boston Scientific Corp.; Cardinal Health, Inc.; Covidien; C.R. Bard, Inc.; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; GE Healthcare; HCA; Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc.; McKesson Corp.; Medtronic USA, Inc.; Owens & Minor; Premier, Inc.; Siemens; University HealthSystem Consortium; and VHA Inc.  For more information, visit www.ghx.com.

SOURCE GHX