Vizient Inc. today announced that SSM Health, based in St. Louis, has joined the company as member. The new membership agreement expands the scope of SSM Health’s current work with the company to now include Vizient’s contract portfolio, an array of analytics solutions and services in addition to advisory resources aimed at helping them achieve their savings and performance improvement goals.

“We are excited to have SSM Health expand their relationship with Vizient and begin to partner with them on cost reduction and operational improvement strategies designed to strengthen their position as a leading provider of health care in the many communities they serve,” said Rand Ballard, chief customer officer for Vizient. “The agreement aligns SSM Health’s focus on providing high-quality affordable health care services with Vizient’s contract portfolio and sourcing programs, analytic solutions and advisory services. It means we are all pulling in the same direction for the work required to deliver the best possible care to patients.”

SSM Health already uses Vizient’s Clinical Data Base analytics to align cost and quality decisions, engage physicians in utilization and supply choices, and improve outcomes. They will now begin using Vizient’s group purchasing contract portfolio, pharmacy program and Novaplus program for purchasing with the expectation of a decrease in current supply and pharmaceutical costs. SSM Health will also begin integrating several analytics solutions into their cost management strategies including Vizient Saving Actualyzer, aptitude and DataLynx, as well as leverage Vizient experts in purchased services, physician preference items and non-acute supply chain alignment to improve clinical alignment and cost performance.

“Working with Vizient, our goal is to further streamline our work and reduce unnecessary variation across SSM Health,” said Michael Gray, System Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer for SSM Health. “By leveraging our combined capabilities, talents, and resources, we expect to further elevate the interconnectedness of clinical and supply related information that allows our caregivers to continue providing exceptional patient care while working to reduce the overall cost of care for those we serve.”

Vizient, Inc. provides solutions and services that improve the delivery of high-value care by aligning cost, quality and market performance for more than 50% of the nation’s acute care providers, which includes 95% of the nation’s academic medical centers, and more than 20% of ambulatory providers. Vizient provides expertise, analytics and advisory services, as well as a contract portfolio that represents more than $100 billion in annual purchasing volume, to improve patient outcomes and lower costs. Vizient has earned a World’s Most Ethical Company designation from the Ethisphere Institute every year since its inception. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vizient has offices throughout the United States. Learn more at www.vizientinc.com.

SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit health system serving the comprehensive health needs of communities across the Midwest through a robust and fully integrated health care delivery system. With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health includes 22 hospitals, more than 290 physician offices and other outpatient and virtual care services, 10 post-acute facilities, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company and an accountable care organization. Learn more about SSM Health at www.ssmhealth.com.

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.@Vizientinc announced that SSM Health has joined the company as a member. The new membership agreement expands the scope of SSM Health’s current work.