Venture Provides Comprehensive Solution For Health Care

Compiled ByDeborah Austin Two Internet-based health-care supply-chain-solutions companies -- Global Healthcare Exchange LLC (GHX), Westminster, Colo., and Neoforma Inc., San Jose -- have signed an agreement to jointly create an integrated solution. They expect this alliance to speed the health-care industry's e-commerce adoption. Under the three-year agreement, Neoforma's marketplaces will interface with GHX's supplier connectivity portal and AllSource e-catalog. GHX will license parts of Neoforma's NeoConnect solution suite, which supports rapid integration of supply-chain collaboration trading partners. The agreement enables Neoforma's hospital customers to transact business with GHX's network of health-care-supplier members -- and GHX's suppliers to sell to Neoforma's hospital customers -- without implementing separate Internet connections. The two also plan joint solutions development, and say they'll expedite efforts toward open industry standards.