ST. LOUIS, Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Amerinet board chairman William Prows today unveiled plans for a new customer focus starting with changing roles for the organization’s top executives and a new addition to the Amerinet executive management team. Prows indicated that the plans were implemented to remain responsive to the changing, dynamic needs of Amerinet members and suppliers and to ensure that Amerinet continues to provide valuable programs and services beyond traditional group purchasing contract development. The organizational changes include promoting Robert P. “Bud” Bowen to CEO and appointing him to serve as a director on the Amerinet board. Bowen has been with the organization since its inception in 1986. He was named president in 1998.
“The purpose here is to further demonstrate the commitment Amerinet made in the fall of 2003 to “Delivering a Network of Solutions” to our more than 23,000 health care provider members and our more than 800 supplier partners,” said Prows. “This is one more step in making our pledge a reality.” In addition to his role as current chairman of the Amerinet board, Prows is vice president of Intermountain Health Care in Salt Lake City, one of three companies that comprise the St. Louis-based group purchasing organization (GPO) Amerinet. The other two companies are Vector, Inc. in Providence, R.I. and Amerinet Central in Warrendale, Pa.
As CEO, Bowen will focus on developing new strategic initiatives for Amerinet, as well as increasing his activity in various health industry policy initiatives. Bowen also plans to increase his involvement in key Amerinet accounts in an effort to provide a higher level of support to customers. Bowen has been involved in health care group purchasing for more than 30 years and is widely respected for his industry knowledge and insight.
Another important organizational change announced by Prows is the promotion of Todd Ebert from executive vice president to president of Amerinet operations. Ebert will focus on leading the ongoing operational changes necessary to support membership across all areas of contracting, information resources and services and ensuring that Amerinet continues to offer a highly competitive portfolio of products and services. Ebert’s health care background and experience from the provider, manufacturer and distribution sectors have proven invaluable in helping Amerinet members and suppliers maximize results. He will report directly to the Amerinet board of directors.
Industry veteran Wayne A. Thompson has been hired to fill the new officer position of president of health systems integration. He has been charged with more effectively integrating Amerinet’s sales and marketing resources, specifically as they relate to key existing and potential new members. Thompson will oversee all strategic health system and account marketing activities. Most recently, Thompson was president and CEO and a board director of Joint Purchasing Corporation (JPC), where he was instrumental in facilitating a partnership between Amerinet and JPC. Thompson brings more than 30 years of health care sales and management experience to Amerinet. Prior to JPC, Thompson served in various sales, marketing and operational positions at Baxter Healthcare. He also previously served as president and chief operating officer and a board member of Konica Medical Imaging, Inc. Thompson also will report directly to the Amerinet board of directors.
To further support Amerinet’s new focus, the organization has decided to make Diagnostix LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary and has named Mary Beth Lang to serve as president. Diagnostix is Amerinet’s software-based solutions program designed to help health care providers ensure that supplier charges match negotiated contract rates consistently and across all areas of operations within the facility or health system. “By making Diagnostix an Amerinet subsidiary, we can better insure the seamless integration of Diagnostix tools with Amerinet contract information to facilitate greater member value and utility,” said Prows. “Mary Beth Lang’s experience and skills make her the perfect candidate to lead this group.” Lang will report directly to a Diagnostix board of directors.
Prows concluded, “As Amerinet’s health care provider members continue to battle increasing financial challenges, Amerinet recognizes the need to expand its service offerings beyond traditional group purchasing contract development and assist its members in identifying and lowering product and labor costs in all areas of their operations. Our organization is dedicated to making it easier for members to access the wide variety of cost-reducing agreements and programs that we provide and to approaching the market with a clear and consistent value proposition. The organizational changes we announced today are just one step in increasing Amerinet’s organizational efficiency, improving accessibility and enhancing the value to our members and suppliers. We will continue to develop and launch new programs and services, all with a focus on the customer.”
About Amerinet
Amerinet is one of the most innovative and effective health care group purchasing organizations in the United States, leading the industry in flexibility with a commitment to providing supplier choice for its members. Amerinet’s national network of companies - Amerinet Central, Intermountain Health Care and Vector - has set the standard for customer service for nearly two decades.
More than 1,860 hospitals and 21,300 non-acute care facilities find cost savings and value-added services through Amerinet’s comprehensive contract portfolio. Members trust Amerinet to deliver proactive information and integrity. For more information, visit http://www.amerinet-gpo.com/ .
Amerinet
CONTACT: Lisa DiMuccio-Conway, Director, Corporate Communications andPublic Relations, +1-724-772-8388, or lisa.conway@amerinet-gpo.com , or AmyMastrippolito, +1-412-377-3771, or pr@businesspartner.com , both of Amerinet
Web site: http://www.amerinet-gpo.com/
