Atrium Health Recognized for Innovation, High-Quality Healthcare by Premier Inc.

Premier Inc., a leading healthcare improvement company, (NASDAQ: PINC) has named Atrium Health, an integrated, nonprofit health system serving the Carolinas and Georgia, the winner of the 2021 Richard A. Norling Premier Alliance Excellence Award.

The Alliance Excellence Award recognizes healthcare providers that are trusted partners and valued contributors to their communities and other Premier health system members. Atrium Health – which includes 37 hospitals, more than 1,350 care locations and Wake Forest School of Medicine as its academic core – supports Premier’s strategy and vision through its participation in more than a dozen committees, including Premier’s Board of Directors Advisory Committee, Strategic Advisory Committee and Drug Initiative Advisory Council.

In addition, Atrium Health leverages Premier’s data and technology, collaboratives and supply chain services in its delivery of high-quality, cost-effective care. Over the last five years, Atrium Health has achieved more than $100 million in supply chain savings and $140 million in clinical optimization savings, leveraging PremierConnect^®, Premier’s cloud-based performance improvement platform.

“Premier has a strong, longstanding relationship with Atrium Health, built on a joint commitment to co-developing innovations,” said Michael J. Alkire, President and CEO of Premier. “Atrium Health serves as a trusted advisor to Premier and helps to guide better outcomes both in its region and nationally. The system continues to serve as a guidepost for the industry in how to elevate clinical and operational excellence, and we are honored to recognize their efforts.”

Atrium Health was selected from Premier’s nationwide alliance of more than 4,100 U.S. hospitals and 200,000 other provider organizations. The health system is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. It is ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for cancer treatment and in eight pediatric specialties and has also been recognized for quality and safety achievements by national organizations such as Newsweek, Press Ganey and Planetree.

“We truly appreciate Premier’s partnership, support and recognition of Atrium Health’s success in improving outcomes and achieving efficiencies on behalf of our patients and communities,” said Eugene A. Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health.

Atrium Health continues to achieve strong performance through a data-driven, benchmark-based approach to quality and resource utilization, as well as participation in forward-thinking initiatives such as Premier’s Population Health Management Collaborative. Atrium Health has also invested in bringing resiliency to the healthcare supply chain by leveraging Premier’s direct sourcing program, and ProvideGx, which provides continuous and affordable access to shortage medications. More recently, Atrium Health helped stabilize the supply chain during COVID-19 by investing in DeRoyal Industries, alongside Premier and other members, thereby expanding domestic manufacturing of personal protective equipment.

The American Hospital Association awarded Atrium Health the 2019 Quest for Quality Prize, which recognizes leadership and innovation to advance health care quality and health in communities, and the 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, for advancing equity of care to all patients, spreading lessons learned and progress toward diversity, inclusion and health equity. Atrium Health was also the recipient of the prestigious 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care.

Previous Premier Alliance Excellence Award winners include St. Luke’s University Health Network (Bethlehem, PA), McLaren Health Care (Detroit), University Hospitals (Cleveland), Baystate Health (Springfield, MA), Banner Health (Phoenix), Bon Secours Mercy Health (Cincinnati), Inova (Falls Church, VA) and Texas Health Resources (Arlington, TX).