Hospitals And Healthcare Providers To Save With Premier Central Venous Access Products Agreements

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, today announced new agreements for central venous access products have been awarded to Arrow International Inc. of Reading, Pa.; Bard Access Systems of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Edwards Lifesciences LLC, of Irvine, Calif.

The new portfolio combines two previous categories: peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), midlines and long term central venous catheters; and central venous catheters.

The 36-month agreements, effective August 1, 2008, are available for acute care and continuum of care Premier members.

About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient

Serving more than 2,000 U.S. hospitals and 53,000-plus other healthcare sites, the Premier healthcare alliance and its members are transforming healthcare together. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier operates one of the leading healthcare purchasing networks and the nation's most comprehensive repository of hospital clinical and financial information. A subsidiary operates one of the nation's largest policy-holder owned, hospital professional liability risk-retention groups. A world leader in helping healthcare providers deliver dramatic improvements in care, Premier is working with the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in San Diego, Premier has offices in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Washington. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.

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