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MedAssets Supply Chain Systems Awarded H2E "Champion For Change" Award for the Second Consecutive Year

Atlanta, GA

MedAssets Supply Chain Systems announced today the receipt of the H2E “Champion for Change” (CFC) award for the second consecutive year. The CFC award recognizes the St. Louis-based group purchasing organization for leadership in environmentally responsible healthcare as a result of environmental initiatives and activities in 2006.  The award was given based on specific accomplishments in the areas of mercury elimination, waste reduction, and the minimization of toxic substances, as well as activities in green building, energy efficiency and water conservation.

H2E is a non-profit organization jointly founded by the American Hospital Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health Care Without Harm, and the American Nurses Association. As the leading national force in helping hospitals with environmental improvement, H2E provides practical solutions through Web site resources, regular teleconferences offering expert help for environmental challenges, and a listserv where colleagues across the country share best practices and strategies for pollution prevention.

Specific accomplishments contributing to MedAssets Supply Chain Systems’ award recognition include:

• Development of the MedAssets Supply Chain Systems’ Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) program Web page to assist customers in obtaining information regarding key environmental topics in healthcare and also to provide direct access to EPP contracts and products available in the MedAssets’ online contract catalog.  Web page topics include information and resources to support the elimination of Mercury and the reduction of toxic substances such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Di 2-Ethylhyexyl Phthalate (DEHP) in hospitals.  Additional sections offer information and links to contracts that support the use of greener cleaners and integrated pest management and feature contracts that offer cost-savings opportunities in the areas of energy efficiency and water conservation in healthcare facilities.

• Development of new product submission requirements requiring vendor disclosure of toxic substances such as mercury, PVC and DEHP and the use of halogenated flame retardants in products.  Additionally, vendors are now required to identify products that have received green seal certification, energy star qualification, and those that meet the U.S. Federal Government’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG), which specify minimum post and pre-consumer recycled content for products purchased by the Federal Government.  MedAssets incorporated these categories into its Catalog & Price File Template, which is required of all vendors submitting products for contract consideration.  The information obtained through this initiative will be used to develop new mechanisms to assist customers in the identification of EPP products and services in MedAssets’ online contract catalog.

"MedAssets Supply Chain Systems is pleased to be the recipient of a 2007 H2E Champion for Change Award,” stated Janelle Johnson, Executive Director, Laboratory Division and Outreach Services, MedAssets Supply Chain Systems. “This recognition acknowledges our support of H2E’s mission of environmental sustainability in healthcare and strengthens our commitment to environmentally responsible contracting.  MedAssets will continue to develop resources and create practical tools to support the environmental initiatives of our customers, and improve the environmental performance of healthcare.”