West Coast Purchasing Coalition Selects aptitude LLC for Direct Contracting

22-member hospital network likes market's ability to increase speed-to-value

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Apr 08, 2014, 09:00 ET

IRVING, Texas, April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- aptitude LLC announced today that the West Coast Purchasing Coalition (WCPC), a 22-member hospital network spanning five states, including Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, will be joining healthcare's first direct contracting market.

The coalition has a combined annual spend of $2.1 billion, bringing aptitude member hospitals' potential spend to more than $10 billion.

Since launching nearly a year ago, aptitude has helped hospitals like those in the coalition arrange direct contracts with suppliers with unprecedented speed: on average 38 days per contract. It was this benefit that attracted the coalition to aptitude.

"The ability to contract efficiently is a necessity in our business, and the aptitude platform can provide that functionality," said Bob Hemker, Palomar Health's CFO and chairman of WCPC's Executive Oversight Committee. "This is the future of the industry, so we knew this was a move in the right direction."

This agreement comes just under a month before the healthcare startup will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its launch. "We are very excited about this agreement and the timing is excellent," said aptitude general manager Troy Kirchenbauer. "We are already working together to identify opportunities for the WCPC to accelerate contract value and to make informed decisions faster."

WCPC was formed in October 2012 as a result of the merger of Western Purchasing Coalition and WestPac Purchasing Network. That merger has proven very successful, resulting in over $15 million of savings for members. Hemker says the coalition's relationship with aptitude is expected to generate even more savings.

"This is just a great fit for our coalition," Hemker said. "By working together our group receives many benefits, and by incorporating aptitude into our strategy this year, we are excited to be among the beneficiaries of this latest innovation in the healthcare supply chain."

Since aptitude launched, the company has emphasized its ability to drive innovation in the healthcare supply chain by bridging the relationship between hospitals and suppliers. Through aptitude, hospitals and suppliers are executing contracts with an average savings of 10 to 15 percent.

About aptitude LLC:

As the healthcare's industry's first online direct contracting market, aptitude LLC was developed to meet the evolving demands of today's healthcare organizations. Hospitals and suppliers are intrigued by how aptitude re-imagines the contracting model and provides the driving force for a more logical market in which hospitals and suppliers can experience greater efficiency and financial value.

About the West Coast Purchasing Coalition:

The West Coast Purchasing Coalition (formerly the WestPac Purchasing Network and Western Purchasing Coalition) is an LLC owned by 22 not-for-profit healthcare providers in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

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SOURCE aptitude LLC