August 10, 2020 – Vizient, Inc. (Irving, TX) announced a new agreement with Encompass Group, LLC for its Novaplus Enhanced Supply Program that will increase the supply of personal protective equipment, enabling access to 40 million AAMI level 3 disposable isolation gowns annually to Vizient member hospitals. The agreement also includes disposable bouffant caps and shoe covers, which are other items of essential PPE for healthcare workers.
As a result of this agreement, Encompass expects to begin manufacturing in the U.S. in 2021. In the interim, the company will continue to use manufacturing lines created in Mexico earlier this year in partnership with Vizient.
“The Novaplus Enhanced Supply Program is part of Vizient’s larger strategy to outmaneuver uncertainty by creating a more resilient supply chain, built on transparency and trust between manufacturers and providers,” the GPO says.
The strategy includes increased visibility of raw materials and product origin, expanded domestic capacity and additional onshore inventory for member hospitals. Novaplus Enhanced Supply delivers additional inventory of essential products and medications that, if not available, could threaten a hospital’s ability to provide immediate and high-quality care.
