Rush University Medical Center and Beaumont Health System Select UHC and Novation for Supply Chain Services

CHICAGO, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and Beaumont Health System, a 3-hospital regional medical center in the greater Detroit area, have selected UHC and its supply contracting company, Novation, for supply chain services.  Rush and Beaumont previously received supply chain services from MedAssets.

"UHC has had a great relationship with Rush and Beaumont for several years and is excited to welcome them to UHC Supply Chain," said Jake Groenewold, senior vice president, Supply Chain, UHC. "We have a shared understanding of the important role that supply chain plays in meeting the challenges of health care reform. UHC and Novation are uniquely positioned to help Rush and Beaumont maximize their supply chain operations, cut costs, and improve patient outcomes."

Rush, a 664-bed hospital, has been a principal member of UHC since 2002, and Beaumont has been a principal member since 2008. By selecting UHC and Novation for supply chain services, Rush and Beaumont have gained access to:

• Novation's aggregated purchasing power of approximately $43 billion
• Price management strategies for contracts and supplier performance
• Tools for improving utilization and standardization
• Integrated (clinical and supply chain) analytics
• Performance management services, including value analysis and consulting
• Extensive networking and educational programs

"Novation provides the breadth and depth of contracts that cover the majority of the products we use. The competitively priced contracts and strategic help with cost containment are a perfect fit with the needs of our organization," said Peter Butler, Rush's president and chief operating officer.

"UHC's tools and strategy are well aligned with Beaumont's clinical, operational and overall supply chain objectives," explains Mike Langlois, vice president, Supply Chain, Beaumont Health System. "By taking advantage of UHC's expansive contract portfolio, it is estimated Beaumont will save approximately $2.8 million annually."

About UHC
UHC is an alliance of the nation's leading nonprofit academic medical centers, which are focused on delivering world-class patient care. Based in Chicago, Ill, UHC fosters collaboration with and among its 119 academic medical center and 291 affiliated hospital members through its renowned programs and services in the areas of comparative data and analytics, performance improvement, supply chain management, strategic research, and public policy. UHC helps its members achieve excellence in quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Formed in 1984, UHC's membership includes a majority of the nonprofit academic medical centers in the United States. For more information, visit uhc.edu.

About Rush University Medical Center
Rush University Medical Center is a not-for-profit academic medical center comprising Rush University Medical Center, Rush University, Rush Oak Park Hospital, and Rush Health. Rush University Medical Center encompasses a 664-bed hospital serving adults and children, including the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center, which provides medical and rehabilitative care to older adults and people with short- and long-term disabilities. A unique combination of research and patient care has earned Rush national rankings in 11 of 16 specialty areas in U.S. News & World Report's 2012-2013 America's Best Hospitals issue, among other recognitions of Rush's quality of care and accreditations.

About Beaumont Health System
Beaumont Health System is a three-hospital regional health system with 1,726 licensed beds, more than 14,000 full-time equivalent employees and nearly 3,100 physicians, including 500 employed physicians in the Beaumont Medical Group and more than 2,600 private-practice physicians. In addition to its hospitals in Royal Oak, Troy and Grosse Pointe, Beaumont has 54 community-based sites of care including medical centers in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, family practice and internal medicine practices, five nursing centers, home care services and hospice. The Beaumont Research Institute has 1,100 active research studies with more than 82,000 participants. Beaumont is the exclusive clinical teaching site for the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. Visit Beaumont on the Web at www.beaumont.edu.

SOURCE UHC