VHA partners with CDW to help members leverage IT for cost control

VHA Inc., a national healthcare network that works to maximize savings in the supply chain arena, has announced an expanded relationship with CDW Healthcare to help deliver healthcare IT products and services to the VHA-supported Mid-America Service Solutions consolidated service center (MSS CSC).

The new three-year agreement augments CDW Healthcare’s existing, nationwide VHA contract.

The MSS CSC includes 16 VHA members located in Kansas and Missouri that act as one unit and purchase approximately $520 million of products and services annually. The CSC is designed to advance supply chain efficiency, decrease costs, streamline operations and help hospitals maximize value.

Though the organization had an excellent track record for driving down costs for its members, it sought better ways to leverage its scale and purchasing power for IT – from commodity products to advanced technology solutions.

With this partnership, “VHA members not only get cost-effective, streamlined IT from a dedicated account team, but also have access to advanced technology and healthcare solutions from a single source,” said Bob Rossi, vice president of CDW Healthcare.

In addition to immediate savings recognized by the participating hospitals, new standards on printers, desktops, thin clients, notebooks and monitors have been created to drive further cost savings and efficiencies. VHA and CDW Healthcare are also working to create standards around products such as servers to help drive sustainable cost reduction over the term of the agreement.

Thirty-two VHA member hospitals from MSS that have already signed the agreement will see immediate cost efficiencies on IT products based upon the increased purchasing scale.

“The ultimate goal is to help hospitals identify and execute on cost reduction opportunities,” said Nik Fincher, vice president of Purchased Services and Capital for VHA. “Our members have enjoyed success with CDW Healthcare over the years, and this particular initiative demonstrates CDW Healthcare’s flexibility and ability to meet members’ needs while providing the maximum benefit to each participating hospital.”

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