VHA Inc. recognizes 11 member organizations for supply chain management excellence

IRVING, Texas, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- VHA Inc., the national health care network, has awarded 11 hospitals and health systems its 2013 VHA Leadership Award for Supply Chain Management Excellence. Announced at VHA's Navigating to Excellence Forum in Las Vegas, awards in two categories honor improvements in supply process efficiency and cost reduction that uphold established clinical standards for quality patient care.

Supply Chain Performance Improvement Awards

This category recognizes organizations exhibiting significant improvement in supply chain management processes. The following winners have implemented changes over the past 12 to 18 months that have enhanced efficiency and effectiveness of their supply chain in two areas of impact.

Sourcing and Resource Management Processes – Criteria include product selection, contracting, procurement, standardization and utilization. Winners:

• Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Lebanon, N.H.
• Yale-New Haven Health System, New Haven, Conn.

Distribution, Logistics and Inventory Management – Criteria include impact on quality, service, outcomes and overall return on investment. Winners:

• Hallmark Health System, Medford, Mass.
• Parkview Health, Fort Wayne, Ind.
• St. Clair Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa.

VHA worked with health care professionals across its national network to develop the criteria for qualifying supply chain management excellence. Judges based their scores on demonstration of project definition and results, sustainability and knowledge sharing, in keeping with the values of the VHA network.

VHA PriceLYNX^TM Index Improvement

As part of this year's Leadership Awards, VHA also recognized organizations that documented the highest level of improvement during 2012 using VHA PriceLYNX, an industry-leading business intelligence platform that fuels cost reduction objectives with rich analytics, contract support and advisory services. Winners are distinguished in two categories.

Health Care Organization Index Improvement – This benchmark reflects organizations' effectiveness in managing price performance amid regular market fluctuations in comparison to hospitals nationwide. Winners:

• Aultman Hospital, Canton, Ohio
• Meriter Health Services, Madison, Wis.
• Unity Health System, Rochester, N.Y.

Physician Preference Item Index Improvement – This benchmark reflects how well organizations manage the high-cost categories of orthopedics, cardiology and spine amid high physician engagement stemming from personal preference and impact on patient outcomes. Winners:

• Aultman Hospital, Canton, Ohio
• Sandford Health, Sioux Falls, S.D.
• Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, Mich.

"Supply costs represent the second highest expense for hospitals, next to labor, and hospitals are squeezed to find new ways to manage that cost while upholding clinical quality," said Byron Jobe, VHA executive vice president, service and delivery. "VHA's Leadership Awards honor those institutions that are succeeding, by comparing their performance to regional and national benchmarks and continually eyeing their own operations for changes that produce better results. This spirit of improvement and innovation comprises VHA's core, and we are proud to recognize these organizations' achievements."

About VHA
VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance, and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Since 1977, VHA has leveraged its expertise in analytics, contracting, consulting and networks to help members achieve their operational, clinical and financial objectives. In 2011, VHA delivered record savings and value of $1.9 billion to members. VHA serves more than 1,350 hospitals and more than 72,000 non-acute care providers nationwide, coordinating delivery of its programs and services through its 13 regional offices. For more information, visit www.vha.com and follow us on Twitter (@VHAInc).

SOURCE VHA Inc.