NOVAPLUS® Contract from Novation for Disposable Blood Pressure Cuffs Awarded to Welch Allyn

SKANEATELES FALLS, N.Y. and IRVING, Texas, Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Welch Allyn, Inc., a leading medical diagnostic device company that delivers pragmatic innovation at the point of care, and Novation, a leading health care services company, today announced a new three-year contract for disposable blood pressure cuffs which provide exceptional value for hospitals and are designed to aid in efforts to reduce cross contamination risks.

The new agreement features several benefits to the hospitals that Novation serves which include the more than 100,000 members and affiliates of VHA, UHC, Children's Hospital Association and Provista Inc.  By using NOVAPLUS, and participating in Novation's IMPACT Standardization Programs^TM and Pre-Commitment opportunities, hospitals have the ability to realize potentially double-digit savings over the previous blood pressure cuffs contract.

"We are excited to work with Welch Allyn to provide the members we serve with an excellent combination of quality products and value to help support patient care needs," said Brent Gee, senior director, Novation. "Through our aggressive supply cost management, both organizations can deliver even greater value to health care organizations which are constantly challenged to drive down costs and increase quality in this new era of healthcare."

Through the agreement, effective Oct. 1, 2014, Welch Allyn FlexiPort^® blood pressure cuffs will be added to the NOVAPLUS product portfolio and IMPACT Standardization Programs.  FlexiPort cuffs provide unique standardization options for hospitals to streamline workflow, improve inventory management, and help reduce the risk of cross contamination. The FlexiPort system enables virtually any blood pressure device to work with FlexiPort cuffs without the hassle of traditional cuff tubes and connectors.

"As the only supplier awarded a blood pressure cuff contract under the NOVAPLUS private label program, Welch Allyn views this as a way for every hospital that Novation serves to realize added value," said Sean Karla, senior global category manager at Welch Allyn. "We will continue to offer our traditional (Trimline^™ style) disposable blood pressure cuffs on this contract.  The addition of the FlexiPort blood pressure cuff line to NOVAPLUS will provide hospitals with the ability to select the blood pressure cuff standardization solution that best meets their needs."

About Novation, Winner of the Ethics Inside® Certification
Founded in 1998, Novation is the leading health care supply chain expertise, analytics and contracting company for the more than 100,000 members and affiliates of VHA Inc. and UHC, two national health care alliances, Children's Hospital Association, an alliance of the nation's leading pediatric facilities, and Provista, LLC. Novation provides alliance members with sourcing services, as well as information and data services. Based in Irving, Texas, Novation develops and manages competitive contracts with more than 800 suppliers. Members of VHA, UHC, Children's Hospital Association and Provista used Novation contracts to purchase approximately $49 billion in 2013. Novation has earned the coveted Ethics Inside Certification from Ethisphere Institute, a leading international think tank dedicated to the research and promotion of best practices in corporate ethics and compliance. Novation was also named on Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Companies list, and is the only company in the health care industry to earn both distinctions for three consecutive years. To learn more about Novation, please follow @NovationNews.

About Welch Allyn, Inc.
Since 1915 Welch Allyn has brought a unique perspective to developing diagnostic solutions by combining pragmatic knowledge with a visionary spirit of innovation and ongoing improvement.  As a leading global manufacturer of physical examination instruments and accessories and EMR-connected vital signs and cardiac monitoring solutions, the company has a steadfast commitment to delivering superlative medical products, services and solutions that help healthcare professionals provide better care for their patients.  Welch Allyn is headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y. (USA) and employs more than 2,600 people in 26 different countries. Visit www.welchallyn.com for more information.  Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE Novation