Sysmex America honored by Premier healthcare alliance for exceptional supplier performance

2009/06/18

Media Contact: Tammy Kutz, Manager, Media & Events
   Sysmex America, Inc.
   communications@sysmex.com

Mundelein, IL, June 18, 2009 – Sysmex America today announced that it is a winner of the fourth annual Pinnacle Award, presented by Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, the group purchasing unit of the Premier healthcare alliance.

Premier contracts with more than 800 suppliers and Sysmex America is one of 19 contracted suppliers to receive the Pinnacle Award. Winners are recognized for their outstanding management of Premier agreements and drive toward the mutual goal of providing clinical and financial value to the not-for-profit hospitals that are members of the Premier alliance.

“On behalf of the employees of Sysmex America, I am honored to accept our company’s third Pinnacle Award from Premier, a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient.  We are especially proud of the fact that we are the only Premier-contracted hematology vendor to ever win the Pinnacle Award by having met customers’ expectations of performance and customer service,” said John Kershaw, President, Sysmex America, Inc.   Since the award program’s inception in 2006, Sysmex America has won three Pinnacle Awards and one Premier Performance Award, added Kershaw.

Larry Pizzi, Health Systems Account Manager, Sysmex America, accepted the award at the 2009 Premier Annual Breakthroughs Conference & Exhibition in Anaheim, Calif. The award ceremony was held at The Anaheim Convention Center on Wednesday, June 17.

“Premier is pleased to recognize our top performing suppliers with the Pinnacle Award, which honors our valued suppliers that strive for collaboration and performance excellence to the benefit of the alliance,” said Premier Purchasing Partners President Mike Alkire.

Premier’s Pinnacle Award is intended to reward Premier’s contracted suppliers that support attainment of mutual goals, drive contract utilization and are committed to performance improvement.

For more information, please visit: http://www.premierinc.com/about/news/awards/index.jsp.

About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient
The Premier healthcare alliance is more than 2,100 U.S. hospitals and 58,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Premier has offices in San Diego, Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Washington.

About Sysmex America, Inc.
Sysmex America, Inc., the U.S. headquarters of Sysmex Corporation (Kobe, Japan), is a world leader in clinical laboratory systemization and solutions, including clinical diagnostics, automation and information systems.  Serving customers for over 40 years, Sysmex focuses on extending the boundaries of diagnostic science while providing the management information tools that make a real difference in clinical and operational results for people worldwide.  For more information about Sysmex, please visit www.sysmex.com/usa.