Tennessee-Based Long-Term Care Provider Saves $1 Million in First Nine Months with the Premier Healthcare Alliance

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long-term care provider Vanguard Healthcare Services LLC saved more than $1 million in nine months by joining the Premier healthcare alliance.

“We were able to achieve savings immediately through excellent tier pricing based on our volume”

“We were able to achieve savings immediately through excellent tier pricing based on our volume,” said Diane Pope, director of purchasing at Vanguard. “It was a very easy conversion because of the product suitability. We didn’t have to make many changes, and where we did have to make changes, it was a very smooth transition.”

Vanguard joined Premier in September 2011 as an affiliate of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis after running extensive marketbasket research. “It was clear that Premier is the best fit for Vanguard, not only in pricing but also in product suitability,” said Pope.

Pope led Vanguard to create a formulary of products for facilities to standardize and centralize their foodservice purchasing practices. The facilities transitioned their food purchases in less than 60 days, using US Foods’ standardized process for ensuring service excellence and savings maximization. In turn, Vanguard standardized their products and menu ingredients, realizing savings.

By switching to the International Business Solutions Alliance for document management, Vanguard has also seen savings, simplified the procurement process through online purchasing, and improved the finished product.

“Premier’s program for long-term care is excellent. I definitely recommend them,” said Pope.

Premier Senior Vice President of member field services Andy Brailo said, “Long-term care is one of the fastest growing areas in healthcare due to the increasing aging population. The necessity for these facilities to reduce expenses has never been greater. We’re glad to see that Vanguard is pleased with the switch to Premier contracts and look forward to their continued success.”

Premier, a provider-owned performance improvement alliance of more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals and 88,000-plus other sites, operates a leading healthcare purchasing network with more than $4 billion in annual savings and close to $43 billion in annual purchasing data.

About Vanguard Healthcare Services

Vanguard Healthcare Services LLC is a leader in the long-term care industry with 14 facilities representing more than 1,500 beds in Tennessee, Mississippi and West Virginia. Headquartered in Brentwood, TN, Vanguard Healthcare Services is dedicated to providing rehabilitation and skilled nursing for patients recovering from surgery, illness or injury. www.vanguardhc.com.

About the Premier healthcare alliance, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient

Premier is a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals and 88,000-plus other sites using the power of collaboration and technology to lead the transformation to coordinated, high-quality, cost-effective care. Owned by hospitals, health systems and other providers, Premier operates a leading healthcare purchasing network with more than $4 billion in annual savings. Premier also maintains the nation's largest clinical, financial and outcomes database with information on 1 in 4 patient discharges. A world leader in delivering measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington. https://www.premierinc.com. Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.