SAN DIEGO, Calif. — For the third consecutive year, Premier, Inc. has been recognized for its national leadership in helping healthcare facilities with their environmental efforts, including waste minimization and the elimination of the use of mercury.

Premier, a national alliance of hospitals and healthcare systems, is the recipient of a 2005 "Champion for Change" Award from Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E). Premier, the first hospital group purchasing organization to earn the award (in 2003) now becomes the first GPO to be honored three consecutive years.

A partnership that includes the American Hospital Association and the Environmental Protection Agency, H2E is an industry-wide collaborative effort that educates healthcare professionals about pollution prevention opportunities and assists hospitals in reducing mercury use and minimizing waste. The H2E awards will be presented April 12 at the Fairmont Chicago Hotel in conjunction with the National Environmental Partnership Summit.

Catholic Healthcare West, one of Premier's members and shareholders, also has been named a Champion for Change award winner.

The Champion for Change Award is given to organizations that take a leadership role in promoting H2E goals and whose members or customers have implemented programs in support of these goals. In 2004, Premier joined its member, Catholic Healthcare West and 13 other organizations as 2004 Champions for Change. Other Premier members have also earned distinction as honorees for other H2E awards, recognizing efforts in waste reduction and total mercury elimination.

H2E recognized Premier for its environmental leadership in supporting the healthcare industry's efforts to reduce or eliminate products and services deemed harmful to the environment. Premier's environmentally preferable purchasing program is administered by its Safety Institute in collaboration with group purchasing services.

Another factor in Premier's selection was the ongoing education offered through its Safety Institute, including comprehensive Web-based tools and resources available online. These include a publicly available CEO Scorecard for environmental assessments and resources on mercury pollution prevention, latex allergies, reuse of single-use devices, DEHP, PVC, green cleaners, pharmaceutical waste, and computer "e-waste." In addition, Premier offers the only publicly available list of mercury-containing pharmaceuticals to help hospitals identify, manage, and dispose of these potentially hazardous drugs.

Environmental health has become a critical issue in American healthcare, as questions have arisen about the long-term effects of certain products containing mercury, phthalates, and other potential hazards identified by the EPA.

The 2005 Champion for Change awardees include Premier, Catholic Healthcare West, Baxter Healthcare, California Department of Health Services, Hospital Pollution Prevention Program, Consorta, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Novation, Ohio Hospital Association, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1, Vanguard Medical Concepts, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Wheaton Franciscan Services.