SMI Provider Members Announce Support For Data Standards Adoption

Scituate, MA (February 3, 2009):  Thirty-two Industry Provider members of the Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI), displaying the collaborative spirit that SMI has become associated with, today announced their support to work with trading partners to implement the GS1 US Healthcare data standards by the publicly announced sunrise dates.  

The thirty-two SMI Industry Provider members that announce their support to work for the adoption of the standards by the sunrise dates are:

  • Allina Hospitals & Clinics
  • Atlantic Health
  • Baptist Health System
  • BJC HealthCare
  • Bon Secours Health System, Inc.
  • Carolinas HealthCare System
  • Catholic Healthcare East
  • Catholic Healthcare West
  • Duke University Health System
  • Geisinger Health System
  • Greenville Hospital System
  • Intermountain Health Care
  • Iowa Health System
  • Johns Hopkins Health System
  • Kettering Health Network
  • Loma Linda University Medical Center
  • Mayo Clinic
  • OhioHealth
  • Orlando Health
  • OSF Healthcare System
  • Parkland Hospital and Health System
  • Providence Health & Services
  • Sentara Healthcare
  • Sisters of Mercy ~ ROi
  • SSM Health Care
  • SUNY Downstate Medical Center
  • Texas Health Resources
  • The Methodist Hospital System
  • University Kentucky HealthCare
  • University of Rochester
  • WellSpan Health
  • Yale New Haven Health System

Since SMI’s establishment in 2006, the provider and supplier members of SMI have been at the forefront of the healthcare supply chain industry’s data standards movement, first by helping to found the Healthcare Supply Chain Standards Coalition, then by fostering early adopter workgroups, assuming leadership positions with GS1 US Healthcare, educating members and the industry, piloting processes, and encouraging others to join the effort.

“These thirty-two SMI Industry Provider members realize that data standards adoption cannot be realized without collaboration and support among all trading partners and stakeholders.” said Tom Hughes, SMI’s Executive Director. “Like other leaders in our industry, these SMI members understand the need to stay focused and to work together so real positive changes take place.”

The standards body GS1 US Healthcare announced sunrise dates for data standards adoption are:

  • Adoption of the Global Location Number standard (GLN) for standardized account/location identification and eliminate custom account numbers by December 2010
  • Adoption of the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN®) for standardized product identification by December 2012.

Carl Manley, SMI’s Chairman of the Board and Vice President of Supply Chain at Sentara Healthcare said “These SMI members are all industry leaders dedicated to seeing our entire industry support data standards adoption through collaboration. Adopting data standards help all trading partners in the supply chain to ensure that the correct products are delivered to the correct locations at the correct time -- creating a safer, more efficient, and less expensive healthcare system.”


About SMI:

The Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI) is a non-profit organization comprised of senior-level executives representing diverse disciplines from the Healthcare Supply Chain.  Membership includes executives from the country’s largest IDN’s and Academic Teaching Centers as well as Medical Device, Diagnostic and Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Distributors and other key suppliers and service companies. SMI members have joined together in a common cause to influence, educate, and reshape the Healthcare Supply Chain.

The primary approach that SMI employs to reshape the Healthcare Supply Chain is to utilize a collaborative process to identify the most strategic issues. Multi-disciplinary teams are formed to further define the issues with intensive debate and input from the membership. Initiatives have resulted in software tools and publication of a best practice guideline.  It is the intent of SMI through these efforts and others to significantly reduce the costs associated with the Healthcare Supply Chain through the adoption of standards and the elimination of waste and redundancy.  SMI offers all of its tools and solutions to the entire industry at no charge through their web site www.smisupplychain.com.