GHX Spotlights Supply Chain Role in Reducing Costs and Improving Patient Care at the AHRMM11 Annual Conference

In-booth theater presentations by healthcare supply chain experts will address ways hospitals can create more effective supply chain processes today

LOUISVILLE, Colo., Aug. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Three healthcare supply chain experts will showcase best practices for managing what has become the fastest-growing operating expense for hospitals—supply chain costs—at the GHX booth during the AHRMM11 Annual Conference.

"The healthcare supply chain is taking on a more strategic role in hospitals across the country, not only to reduce operating costs but also to provide data visibility that can dramatically impact our ability to deliver quality patient care," says Karen Conway, the head of Industry Relations for GHX. "We are proud to present programming that complements AHRMM's ongoing education and advocacy efforts to raise the stature of the supply chain in healthcare."

The GHX booth, #507, will feature the following 20-minute theater-style presentations between 1:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 8 and between 9:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on Aug. 9:

  • "Supply Chain Best Practices: Lessons from Outside Healthcare," by Karen Conway, director of Industry Relations, GHX (Aug. 8, 1:45 p.m. and Aug. 9, 9.45 a.m.). Attendees of this session will receive a newly published white paper, "Applying Supply Chain Best Practices from Other Industries to Healthcare"
  • "The Clinical Value of Unique Device Identifiers," by Natalia Wilson, M.D., MPH, co-director Health Sector Supply Chain Research Consortium, Arizona State University (Aug. 8, 2:30 p.m. and Aug 9, 10:30 a.m.)
  • "Accelerated Trading Partnerships: Faster Savings," by Josh Skiba, Exchange Services Product Management, GHX (Aug. 8, 3:15 p.m. and Aug. 9, 11:15 a.m.)

In a separate Learning Lab breakout session on Aug. 10, healthcare provider Rebecca LaGrange of Saratoga Hospital will share her perspectives on achieving touchless invoice processing and reducing costs in the process. LaGrange, a systems analyst, will present at 9:30 a.m. EDT, focusing on the role of accounts payable management in cost savings. Her presentation will detail how Saratoga worked with GHX to automate 100 percent of its purchase order-based invoices and reduce the exception rate in its materials management system from 15-20 percent to zero.

About GHX

Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) makes healthcare more efficient by delivering software and services that enable both healthcare providers and suppliers to increase efficiency, lower costs and provide better patient care. With the largest footprint in healthcare supply chain management, GHX connects more than 80 percent of licensed hospital beds at U.S. hospitals, as well as providers in Canada and Europe, with the suppliers from which they purchase the majority of their medical-surgical supplies. GHX is transforming today's linear healthcare supply chain into the industry's only Healthcare Supply Cloud(SM), providing 360-degree visibility into areas affecting both clinical and financial performance. Working with GHX, organizations can improve business processes, automate supply chain systems and collaborate to solve the tough challenges facing healthcare today. GHX is owned by members of the healthcare industry, including Abbott Exchange, Inc.; AmerisourceBergen Corp.; Baxter Healthcare Corp.; B. Braun Medical Inc.; BD; Boston Scientific Corp.; Cardinal Health, Inc.; Covidien; C.R. Bard, Inc.; Thermo Fisher Scientific 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. Follow GHX on Twitter @GHX_LLC and on Facebook @GHX.

SOURCE GHX