FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Niki Burgdorf, 314/628-3603
Sisters of Mercy Health System Honored for Innovative Improvements to Supply Chain
St. Louis, Mo. (April 25, 2008) — The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) and its supply chain operating division, Resource Optimization & Innovation (ROi), have been recognized as a national leader for improvement in supply chain performance. Mercy was one of only two organizations honored with the Most Innovative Provider Award at the 8th Annual GHX Supply Chain Summit last week. GHX (Global Healthcare Exchange) is the largest and most utilized electronic commerce exchange in the healthcare industry.
The Most Innovative Provider award showcases hospitals and healthcare systems that have demonstrated innovation in implementing e-commerce solutions. Mercy and ROi were honored for innovative use of technology to improve data management, orders and supply chain processes. The health system improved data accuracy by utilizing technology to further synchronize its item master with vendors’ product catalogs; reduced order and invoicing errors by reconciling purchasing information within its e-commerce systems and materials management information system (MMIS); implemented a vendor managed inventory program; and enhanced contract compliance by updating contract prices within its MMIS on a daily basis.
“We are honored to be recognized by GHX,” said Vance Moore, President of ROi. “Leveraging technology to improve the way we serve our facilities, co-workers and patients is an important aspect of furthering Mercy’s ministry of healing. A reliable and integrated supply chain technology infrastructure helps ROi support Mercy’s goals of quality, safety, service and value.”
“This year’s GHXcellence Awards honor providers and suppliers that have fully embraced ecommerce solutions across their organizations to automate and enhance business processes,” said GHX President Bruce Johnson. “By optimizing business processes and the use of technology, they are leading the way for healthcare to improve operational efficiencies and maximize savings.”
Mercy and ROi were also honored in 2007 with the GHX Provider of the Year Award for large providers.
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About Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) operates hospitals, physician practices, outpatient clinics, health plans and related health and human services in a seven state area including Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Its members include 18 acute care hospitals providing more than 4,000 licensed beds, two heart hospitals, a managed care subsidiary (Mercy Health Plans), physician practices, outpatient care facilities, home health programs, skilled nursing services and long-term care facilities. Services are provided by approximately 30,000 co-workers and 4,000 physicians who are employed or practice at Mercy facilities. Mercy is the 9th largest Catholic healthcare system in the U.S. based on net patient service revenue and is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy–St. Louis Regional Community. For more information, visit www.mercy.net.
About GHX
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.; Becton, Dickinson & Co.; Boston Scientific Corp.; Cardinal Health, Inc.; Covidien; C.R. Bard, Inc.; Fisher Scientific International, 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
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