GHX adds first GPO to Web site customer roster - Brief Article

Health Industry Today, May, 2001

Global Health Exchange LLC (GHX), the other Internet provider whose founders consist of some of the largest health care concerns on the planet, said Joint Purchasing Corp. (JPC) of New York was the first group purchasing organization to sign up for its services.

JPC said the contract will allow its 2,600 members to manage their procurement processes more efficiently.

"Connecting to GHX was a natural decision for us," said JPC president and CEO Ralph Dean. "We know our customers want to choose which suppliers they purchase their products and equipment from, and the breadth of GHX's manufacturers make that possible.

"It feels good to team up with a company that is as committed as we are to being a long-term player in the health care industry," added Dean.

GHX's member roster is currently made up of 75 suppliers and 200 hospitals. Equity members include industry giants Johnson & Johnson, GE Medical Systems, Medtronic Inc., Tyco Intl. Ltd., Becton, Dickinson and Co. and Guidant Corp.

JPC said it will continue to provide its hospitals with what Dean described as "the backroom for sourcing, bidding and facilitating" individual contracts.

But, he said, "Working through GHX is another cost elimination strategy for us."

When developing contracts, Dean said, "it makes sense to utilize the same information exchange platform that most suppliers utilize."

GHX president Mike Mahoney said JPC's use of the Exchange catalog and GHX's "deep integration" with supplier and provider members "gives them a great advantage."

JPC members Coastal Cooperative of New Jerseyand Cooperative Healthcare Services of South Jersey will probably be the first to connect to GHX.

* www.jpc.org

www.ghx.com