SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 2007--The Premier healthcare alliance today launched its annual search for community organizations doing exemplary, innovative work to improve the health of the medically underserved.

Over the past 15 years, the Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award has provided $2.75 million in funding to 90 community health organizations.

"The Cares Award exemplifies Premier's commitment to improve the health of communities across the nation," said Premier President and CEO Richard A. Norling. "The organizations that apply for this award deserve all the recognition and support we can provide - they are on the front lines making a real difference for patients, families and communities."

The nationwide competition recognizes six not-for-profit organizations each year that have found innovative ways to improve the health of medically underserved communities. One of the criteria for the Cares Award is the ability to replicate each program in other communities around the nation.

This year's deadline for applications is Tuesday, July 31, 2007. The Cares Award provides a cash prize of up to $70,000 to winning organizations. Premier is mailing application forms to thousands of organizations around the country. The application form is also available at www.premierinc.com/caresaward.

Through a recently announced partnership with the Wye River Group on Healthcare, Premier will share best practices from Cares Award finalists via the Web, starting in August.

The annual Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award was founded in 1991 by Monroe Trout, M.D., former chief executive of American HealthCare Systems - a founding organization of Premier. Winners are chosen by a panel of healthcare executives based on documented and measurable improvements in the health status of the people served; innovation; and the "reproducibility" of the program in other communities, among other factors.

Premier will announce the award winner and finalists during its annual Governance Education Conference in January 2008. Electronic versions of the entry form, award criteria, and highlights of past recipients are available at www.premierinc.com/caresaward.

About Premier, 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
recipient

Serving 1,700 hospitals and more than 45,000 other healthcare sites, Premier Inc. is the largest healthcare alliance in the United States dedicated to improving patient outcomes while safely reducing the cost of care. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier operates the nation's largest healthcare purchasing network, the most comprehensive repository of hospital clinical and financial information and one of the largest policy-holder owned, hospital professional liability risk-retention groups in healthcare. Headquartered in San Diego, Premier has offices in Charlotte, N.C. and Washington. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.

Copyright Business Wire 2007

Premier, Inc.

Premier, Inc.

Serving 1,700 hospitals and almost 45,000 other healthcare sites, Premier Inc. is the largest healthcare alliance in the United States dedicated to improving patient outcomes while safely reducing the cost of care. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier operates the nation's largest healthcare purchasing network, the most comprehensive repository of hospital clinical and financial information and one of the largest policy-holder owned, hospital professional liability risk-retention groups in healthcare. Headquartered in San Diego, Premier has offices in Charlotte, N.C. and Washington.

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