SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Oncology Alliance (NOA), a national, best-in-class, specialty GPO wholly owned by Broadlane, has been selected by Oncology Physician Resource (OPR), a physician-owned professional limited liability corporation which evolved from the Michigan Society of Hematology and Oncology group purchasing organization, to jointly provide GPO services to current members of MSHO-GPO. This for-profit, physician-owned, joint GPO model allows for expansion beyond Michigan practices. Expected to represent nearly $300 million in annual oncology drug spend, the NOA-OPR relationship brings to all OPR practices -- regardless of size -- unique benefits that go far beyond oncology drug purchasing.
As a result of the NOA-OPR relationship, OPR practices will now gain the purchasing power, as well as the clinical and business support, of three industry powerhouses. NOA will provide access to oncology drug contracts, plus a host of clinical and business support services. Broadlane, the group procurement services company for healthcare, will provide non-oncology drug and non-drug contract portfolios and services not previously available to MSHO-GPO members, as well as the aggregated buying power of $9 billion in annual contract spend. Cardinal Health Specialty Pharmaceutical Distribution, through its own separate agreement directly with OPR, will offer distribution services and Pyxis hardware, including Pyxis’ newest specialty market solution, OncologyStation version 4.0, which incorporates bar code scanner inventory solutions.
“Based on the breadth and depth of our collective offerings, as well as the business stability we represent, we expect the NOA, Broadlane and Cardinal Health teams to help former MSHO-GPO practices address not only their current practice needs, but also the key clinical and business issues in today’s changing oncology environment,” said Warren M. Dodge, NOA senior vice president for sales and marketing. “Because OPR has entered into a relationship with us and separately with Cardinal Health in this novel arrangement, OPR practices will be in the position to buy smarter, diversify revenues, streamline their businesses and standardize care to both enhance quality and minimize risk.”
Key benefits conferred to OPR practices through OPR’s respective agreements with NOA and Cardinal Health include, but are not limited to:
* Access to all of NOA’s top-tier pharmaceutical contracts * Access to new NOA services and technologies * Access to the Broadlane Physician Services portfolio of contracts * Customized clinical programs for all OPR members Through Cardinal Health: * Contract Management, Customer Service, and Logistics platform * Maximization of customer inventory control and charge capture through online tools and Pyxis technology * Customized support to meet dynamic needs of oncology clinics * Cardinal Health proprietary technologies specific to the oncology marketplace
“OPR selected NOA and Cardinal Health because OPR is looking for deep relationships that go beyond drug pricing to include the comprehensive clinical and business support that our practices need,” said Paul Adams, M.D., president-elect of the Society and chairman of the MSHO-GPO steering committee. “Through these new relationships, OPR members will have access to tools and services to help them thrive in 2005 and beyond, such as practice-specific interventions to help prepare for assessing Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP) alternatives for 2006.”
About National Oncology Alliance
National Oncology Alliance, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Broadlane, is a national, best-in-class, specialty oncology GPO that provides essential clinical and business information, resources and insight to help its members transform the business of oncology. With NOA, oncology practices have the confidence of working with a stable and progressive partner that will guide them through industry changes and help them develop thriving businesses, enabling them to buy smarter, diversify revenue, enhance quality care, minimize risk and streamline business so they can focus on critical patient care. More information about NOA can be found at www.noainc.com.
About Broadlane
Broadlane is the group procurement services company for healthcare. Through a comprehensive set of proven procurement processes, Broadlane helps healthcare providers go further to reduce costs and improve financial performance. The company’s signature service is group purchasing; its numerous other services include strategic procurement planning, departmental cost management, and labor sourcing and utilization. Broadlane’s innovative technology yields data-driven solutions, which are implemented by an expert staff with deep clinical and operational experience.
Broadlane serves thousands of acute care hospitals, sub-acute care facilities and physician practices across the country. The company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in California, New York, Ohio and Texas. For more information, visit www.broadlane.com.
About Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health is the leading provider of products and services supporting the healthcare industry. Cardinal Health develops, manufactures, packages and markets products for patient care; develops drug-delivery technologies; distributes pharmaceuticals, medical-surgical and laboratory supplies; and offers consulting and other services that improve quality and efficiency in healthcare. Cardinal Health is a leading distributor of pharmaceuticals, therapeutic plasma products and medical supplies to oncology practices, physician offices, hospital pharmacies and the alternate-site marketplace. The company is the primary distributor for several major group purchasing organization contracts and is the exclusive distributor of the nation’s largest oncology physician network. More information about the company may be found at www.cardinalhealth.com.
About Michigan Society of Hematology and Oncology
The Michigan Society of Hematology and Oncology is a non-profit corporation (501c(6)) that was formed in 1985 to address the growing needs of oncologists in the private practice. Membership is allowed for practicing oncologic physicians and their staff members. A special corporate membership is available for those companies who support the MSHO mission.
In 1989 the Society was able to pass landmark legislation requiring health insurance coverage for any pharmaceutical used as part of a chemotherapeutic regimen, regardless of specific FDA-label, as long as the use was accepted by medical literature.
The Society helped to create an Oncology Advisory Panel to help review new off-label indications and advise Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Medicare on appropriateness of coverage.
In 1998, recognizing the opportunity to assist its members in securing better pricing through volume purchasing, the Society formed the MSHO-GPO. This highly successful program facilitated remarkable savings for practices large and small. Changes in the pharmaceutical marketplace and aggressive competition for large practice enrollment into national GPO programs required that the Society examine its GPO and seek a relationship through OPR with a national GPO that would respect the Society’s mission and loyalty to all of its practices regardless of size.
The Society is now representing more than 300 oncologists in the state of Michigan. The Society works with more than twenty corporate members to provide continuing medical education, reimbursement assistance and buying programs.
Contact: David McAdam (415) 844-7300
National Oncology Alliance
CONTACT: David McAdam, +1-415-844-7300, for National Oncology Alliance
