NCA Shared Services Increases affiliates after joining Premier
National Capital Area Shared Services (NCASS) is a regional group purchasing
organization. It has a long history in group purchasing, documenting hundreds of
millions in savings and cost containment to participants. A wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Healthcare Council of the National Capital Area (a non-profit
association of providers in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia), it
began group purchasing activities in 1972. NCASS was incorporated in 1983 and
joined Premier as a group affiliate in 2008.
National Capital Area Shared Services,
8201 Corporate Drive Landover, MD 20785
301-731-4700.
Situation:
Responding to the desire of our owners and group affiliates to partner with non-acute facilities to reduce costs and improve, Premier’s Continuum of Care unit actively helps owners and group affiliates grow their affiliate programs. One such example is Premier’s work with National Capital Area Shared Services, Inc. (NCASS). When it became a Premier group affiliate in September 2008, NCASS made growth of its affiliate program a top priority. Successful affiliate program benefits include establishing relationships with non-acute facilities to share information, increasing contract uptake, driving savings for new members and providing a source of additional income for the affiliate sponsor.
Solution:
NCASS Director of Partner Development John B. Maloney reached out to Premier Continuum of Care Region Director Steve Rothschild for assistance with the new NCASS focus on increasing affiliates. Rothschild:
- Provided initial training and traveled on sales calls to support his new member recruitment efforts.
- Introduced NCASS to the continuum of care transitioning member process. A new membership and recruitment process introduced in June 2009, it allows owners and group affiliates to review new continuum of care members that join Premier without a sponsor and to submit proposals to these members to join their respective affiliate programs.
Result:
In the nine months, NCASS has
- Rostered 42 new affiliates, including a chain of 18 continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) with potential annual spend volume of more than $5 million.
- Added five additional facilities through the Continuum of Care transitioning member process..
"Working with the Continuum of Care team at Premier has afforded NCASS the
tremendous opportunity of helping members streamline their operations, saving
time and money. We look forward to a long, mutually productive relationship with
Premier as the savings continue to grow for our members."
Joseph P Burns President and CEO National Capital Area Shared Services
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