Amerinet’s second annual national meeting focuses on information-sharing
More than 1,400 healthcare leaders convened in September at the 2010 Amerinet Member Conference in Las Vegas, Nev. The conference was an opportunity for members to share knowledge and perspective on political, financial, and economic trends, and their impact on the healthcare industry, according to the St. Louis-based GPO.
“Amerinet is a full-service group purchasing organization and partner to our customers and as such, it is imperative to offer as much information and collaborative learning opportunities as possible in terms of healthcare reform, the current market and the challenges providers face,” said Todd Ebert, president and CEO. The conference included more than 30 education sessions with CE training in professional development, quality and patient safety and clinical issues, supply chain, alternate care, finance and IT, foodservice, executive leadership and others.
The conference – which was Amerinet’s second annual national meeting – had originally been scheduled to occur in Nashville, Tenn., in May, but was cancelled due to severe flooding in that city.
During the event, Amerinet held a niche/new technology trade show, which allowed potential suppliers to showcase their products to a segment of the Amerinet membership. Among the products presented were an advanced wound therapy and fall prevention non-powered mattress, an all-in-one foam pad dressing and cohesive bandage, a needleless IV connector with neutral advantage technology, and a wound photo guide.
Dr. John Kenagy, a person once referred to by Forbes Magazine as “the man who would save healthcare,” delivered a presentation titled “Designed to Adapt: Leading Healthcare in Challenging Times.” Kenagy explored the theory of “adaptive designism,” that is, sustainable improvement that starts at the front line by creating a clinical and business focus on ideal patient care, then building problem-solving and improvement into the work.
Marcus Osborne, senior director of healthcare savings programs and health and wellness global sourcing for Wal-Mart, spoke about the retailer’s stated goal of improving the healthcare industry in the United States and globally by increasing access, quality and affordability for consumers.
Amerinet presented a green education session, “Save Money; Make Cents! 81 Ideas to Green Your Organization,” which informed members how environmental business choices can also make financial sense.
Healthcare Achievement Awards
Eighteen members were recognized with Amerinet Healthcare Achievement Awards for excellence in using Amerinet’s contract portfolio. Superior member performance was recognized in areas including financial and operational improvements, quality and patient care delivery, supply chain and data management and community impact.
The honorees in each category are:
- Supply chain/data management or supply cost efficiencies: Harrison Medical Center, Bremerton, Wash.; Medical Center of Louisiana, New Orleans, La.; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y.; Northern Arizona Healthcare, Flagstaff, Ariz.; United General Hospital, Sedro-Woolley, Wash.; and Virginia Regional Medical Center, Virginia, Minn.
- Financial and operational improvement: Cape Cod Healthcare, Inc., Hyannis, Mass.; and Southern Mono Healthcare District, Mammoth Lakes, Calif.
- Quality/patient care delivery and/or patient satisfaction: ACMH Hospital, Kittanning, Pa.; Adena Health/Adena Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, Chillicothe, Ohio; Grande Ronde Hospital, La Grande, Ore.; Illinois State University, Normal, Ill.; Lakeview Village, Lenexa, Kan.; Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital & Clinics, Prairie du Sac, Wis.; and St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, N.Y.
- Community impact and/or innovation: Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Olympic Medical Center, Port Angeles, Wash.; and Wetzel County Hospital, New Martinsville, W.Va.
Supplier awards
Amerinet presented its Supplier Performance and Amerinet Choice member awards. Among those recognized were 19 suppliers who increased their sales growth more than 100 percent with Amerinet, and 16 who increased their volume more than 50 percent in the past year.
Amerinet’s 2009 Supplier Performance Award winners are:
- AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. (Manufacturer over $25 million in Amerinet sales volume.)
- Steelcase Inc. (Manufacturer under $25 million in Amerinet sales volume.)
- Verizon Wireless. (Services over $25 million in Amerinet sales volume.)
- Language Line Services, Inc. (Service under $25 million in Amerinet sales volume.)
- AmerisourceBergen Corp. (Distributor over $25 million in Amerinet sales volume.)
- Henry Schein Inc. (Distributor under $25 million Amerinet sales volume.)
- Spectrum Surgical Instruments Corp. (Supplier diversity.)
Amerinet recognized all suppliers with contract sales over $1 million, who have had contracts with the GPO for two years or more and who achieved 100 percent, 50 percent or 20 percent or more growth of posted sales in 2009.
Amerinet Choice awards
The Amerinet Choice Award was presented to two supplier partners: Hospira Worldwide Inc. for pharmacy, and DJO Inc. for general Amerinet Choice supplier. Amerinet Choice is the GPO’s private label and sourcing program.
Amerinet also recognized members for contract utilization achievement through Amerinet Choice. Honorees included:
- Top Members for Contract Utilization: Olympic Medical Center, Port Angeles, Wash.; SHS-AC/Good Samaritan Hospital, Corvallis Ore.; and Washington Hospital, Fremont, Calif.
- Four Million Dollar Club: St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, N.Y.
- Three Million Dollar Club: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y.; and OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria, Ill.
- Two Million Dollar Club: Scottsdale Healthcare-Osborn, Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Million Dollar Club: Community Hospital, Munster, Ind.; Flagstaff Medical Center, Flagstaff, Ariz.; Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah; LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah; Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, Calif.; McKay-Dee Hospital Center, Ogden, Utah; Medical Center of LA New Orleans Charity, New Orleans, La.; Nyack Hospital, Nyack, N.Y.; OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rockford, Ill.; Primary Children’s Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; Scottsdale Healthcare-Shea, Scottsdale, Ariz.; St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, N.Y.; St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart, Ind.; Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Provo, Utah; Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Wash.; William W. Backus Hospital, Norwich, Conn.; and Yavapai Community Hospital, Prescott, Ariz.