Premier Helps Hospitals Manage Computer Assets

The healthcare industry is responsible for the consumption and disposal of millions of electronic devices every year. The challenge for healthcare organizations is to dispose of outdated or used devices while staying conscious of the environmental and health threats posed by toxic components of information technology waste.

Premier's new Computers and Electronics in HealthCare Website presents a number of specific purchasing strategies, including contractual guidelines for minimal toxicity of materials, as well as vendor programs for take-back, leasing and upgrades.

"Premier recognizes the potential negative impact that computers and electronics have on the environment and public health," James Fosmoe, director of Premier Group Purchasing's Information Technology Services, says. Fosmoe adds, "Premier will be using these guidelines for the selection of hardware manufacturers that provide computers and electronics to our members."

The web-based resource was produced by Premier's Safety Institute with assistance and support from Health Care Without Harm and the Computer Take Back Campaign.

Charlotte Brody, Purchasing Workgroup Coordinator for Health Care Without Harm, called the resource a natural extension of healthcare's purpose. "By adopting these purchasing guidelines, Premier is helping hospitals to fulfill their mission - protecting public health," Brody says. "Providing these resources is part of the ongoing effort to make it easier for health care to do the right thing."

Mamta Khanna of the Center for Environmental Health added that the creation of such guidelines signals a positive trend. "Premier's actions are a clear sign to vendors that hospitals are demanding safer products and better disposal options," Khanna, says. "With the market shifting toward environmental responsibility, vendors who have the safest, most environmentally friendly products will have a strong competitive advantage."

Sheila Davis of the Computer Take Back Campaign agrees. "This is an important step in making the way health care is provided consistent with the principle 'first, do no harm,'" Davis says. "Eliminating the dumping of toxic electronics is simply a matter of good public health policy."

The Web site, www.premierinc.com/safety, includes a wide range of resources on computers and electronics, such as a downloadable 10-step guide from Hospitals for a Healthy Environment that provides information on managing electronic products, keeping health, safety and compliance as priorities, and a list of environmentally preferable procurement guidelines for IT equipment in health care, prepared by the Computer Take Back Campaign and Health Care Without Harm.

Premier, Inc. is a strategic alliance in U.S. healthcare, entirely owned by 200 of the nation's leading hospital and health care systems. These systems operate or are affiliated with approximately 1,500 hospital facilities in 50 states and hundreds of other care sites. Premier provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery in the key areas of supply chain improvement and group purchasing, comparative data and benchmarking, and insurance.