Agnesian HealthCare: Joins Premier, Inc. to provide more efficient, cost-effective care

Wisconsin Catholic Healthcare System Selects Premier Supply
Chain and Performance Services to Improve Cost Management and
Sustainability Across the Care Continuum

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 27, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wisconsin-based
Agnesian HealthCare has joined Premier, Inc. (Nasdaq:PINC) to leverage
supply chain and performance improvement services that support the
integration of care delivery and purchasing practices system-wide.

A non-profit integrated Catholic healthcare system, Agnesian HealthCare
boasts one community hospital and two critical access hospitals, as
well as behavioral health clinics, local pharmacies and specialty care
centers. The healthcare system chose Premier for access to the
alliance’s group purchasing organization, supply chain analytics and
ASCEND(R)performance improvement collaborative to drive cost
efficiencies, promote better outcomes and advance population health
management. This is Agnesian HealthCare’s first engagement with
Premier.

“Agnesian HealthCare is based in tightly-knit, family-oriented
communities that depend on us to improve their health amidst today’s
evolving healthcare environment,” said Steve Little, Agnesian
HealthCare president and chief executive officer. “We believe that by
leveraging Premier solutions, expertise and purchasing power, we can
further provide the cost-effective, efficient high-quality care our
friends, families and neighbors deserve.”

As a new alliance member, Agnesian HealthCare will use Premier’s
integrated technology platform PremierConnect(R) to access these
Premier services, which enable enterprise-wide purchasing decisions
that improve cost management and sustainability. Industry-leading
analytics in PremierConnect rapidly aggregate and normalize clinical
and supply chain data across the continuum of care for access to
actionable insights, all in one place. It also enables real-time member
interactions across the nation.

“We are very excited about our new relationship with Premier,” said
Perry Willmore, director of supply chain management with Agnesian
HealthCare. “As a faith-based organization, we feel this is a good fit
for our culture and our ability to serve the good people of
northeastern Wisconsin.”

Agnesian HealthCare will leverage Premier’s group purchasing contracts
for better pricing on quality products, and spend analytics to more
strategically aggregate and measure supply chain costs. In addition, as
a new participant in Premier’s ASCEND collaborative, Agnesian
HealthCare can identify and implement performance improvement
opportunities by aggregating, monitoring and comparing supply chain
data and best practices with peers.

“Agnesian HealthCare is one of Wisconsin’s leading healthcare systems
and we’re thrilled to welcome them to the alliance,” said Michael J.
Alkire, chief operating officer, Premier. “Providers are facing
significant challenges that require integrated transformations to fully
manage the health of a population. We’re here to serve as their partner
in simplifying care delivery decisions and practices, so that they can
focus on providing excellent care.”

The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Agnesian HealthCare

Agnesian HealthCare, through its seven Fond du Lac area provider
organizations, offers a wide array of quality inpatient and outpatient
healthcare services for families throughout the region. With hospitals
in Fond du Lac, Ripon and Waupun and 12 Fond du Lac Regional Clinic
offices, the care of more than 100 primary and specialty care
physicians is available. A staff of more than 3,000 associates and
physicians are the backbone of Agnesian HealthCare, which includes
Agnesian Pharmacy/Prescription Centers and Agnesian Health Shoppe,
Consultants Laboratory, Fond du Lac Regional Clinic, Ripon Medical
Center St. Agnes Hospital, St. Francis Home and Waupun Memorial
Hospital. Agnesian HealthCare is sponsored by the Congregation of
Sisters of St. Agnes.

About Premier, Inc.

Premier, Inc. (Nasdaq:PINC) is a leading healthcare improvement
company, uniting an alliance of approximately 3,000 U.S. hospitals and
110,000 other providers to transform healthcare. With integrated data
and analytics, collaboratives, supply chain solutions, and advisory and
other services, Premier enables better care and outcomes at a lower
cost. Premier, a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient,
plays a critical role in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry,
collaborating with members to co-develop long-term innovations that
reinvent and improve the way care is delivered to patients nationwide.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier is passionate about
transforming American healthcare. Please visit Premier’s news and
investor sites on www.premierinc.com; as well as Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Foursquare and Premier’s blog for more
information about the company.