Health-Care Manufacturers Team For Supply-Chain Efficiency

Compiled ByDeborah Austin An independent, Internet health-care trading exchange -- formed by five major players in health-care manufacturing -- has purchased a stake in privately held software company CentriMed, which focuses on e-procurement solutions for health-care providers. Global Healthcare Exchange LLC is the Internet marketplace formed in March 2000 by Johnson & Johnson, GE Medical Systems, Baxter International Inc., Abbott Laboratories, and Medtronic Inc. -- companies whose revenues range from $5 billion to more than $27 billion. The exchange bought the stake in CentriMed from Internet Capital Group (ICG), a business-to-business e-commerce company, paying about $15.2 million in cash. ICG will receive additional payment contingent on performance. The Global Healthcare Exchange was created to help health-care providers make quicker, more efficient purchasing decisions by simplifying business processes and providing a single source for customer's health-care purchases. CentriMed and Global Healthcare Exchange are based in Westminster, Colo. ICG is headquartered in Wayne, Pa.