Cook Medical Renews Contract with Premier Healthcare Alliance, Extends Pricing Agreements on Specialty Urology Products for More than 2,500 U.S. Hospitals

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hospitals around the country have three more years of access to a specialty urology agreement with an extensive line of specialty urology products at special pricing after Cook Medical and the Premier healthcare alliance renewed their contract to provide Cook’s urology products to more than 2,500 hospitals.

“Cook is very pleased to be continuing this partnership with Premier”

Premier’s renewed contract, beginning on Jan. 1, 2012, demonstrates recognition of the significant cost savings and inventory streamlining the hospitals receive. The contract provides member hospitals with Cook’s line of endourological products, including Cook-exclusive products such as the Resonance^® Metallic Ureteral Stent, the NGage^® Nitinol Stone Extractor, and the Bigopsy^® Backloading Biopsy Forceps. Because of Cook’s technically advanced and broad line of products, the contract allows participating hospitals to primarily use one vendor for endourological product needs.

Cook’s contracts reduce the need for hospitals to use multiple vendors, saving time and money when managing inventory. With more than 25 products launched in the last six years for the endourology space, Cook’s product portfolio boasts one of the most complete product offerings on the market. A hospital contracting with Cook recently reported more than 50 percent in cost savings.¹

“Cook is very pleased to be continuing this partnership with Premier,” said Jean-Marc Creissel, global leader of Cook’s Urology division. “This contract is a great example of the way industry can work with purchasing groups to meaningfully impact the rising costs of health care.”

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

Premier is a performance-improvement alliance of more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and 80,000-plus other health care sites using the power of collaboration to lead the transformation to high-quality, cost-effective care. Owned by hospitals, health systems and other providers, Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading health care purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier has worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington. http://www.premierinc.com. Stay connected with Premier on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About Cook Medical

A global pioneer in medical breakthroughs, Cook Medical is committed to creating effective solutions that benefit millions of patients worldwide. Today, we combine medical devices, drugs, biologic grafts and cell therapies across more than 16,000 products serving more than 40 medical specialties. Founded in 1963 by a visionary who put patient needs and ethical business practices first, Cook is a family-owned company that has created more than 10,000 jobs worldwide. For more information, visit www.cookmedical.com. Follow Cook Medical on Twitter and LinkedIn.

¹ Aaron P. The customer-service effect: a seamless conversion helps hospital deliver cutting-edge medical treatment at half the cost. Health Purch News. 2010;34(4):50-51.