[04/04/06]
Zebra Technologies Corporation, a global leader in delivering on-demand specialty printing solutions for business and process improvement, has signed a new three-year agreement with MAGNET Inc., a leading healthcare group purchasing organization (GPO) serving more than 700 hospitals. The agreement makes Zebra thermal printers, supplies and service agreements available to MAGNET's seven regional member organizations, all of which provide access to MAGNET's portfolio of products and services through local groups operating in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The three-year contract went into effect April 1.
"At MAGNET, our mission is to provide our Member Organizations with programs and services that reflect the highest standards of quality, safety, reliability and service," said Steven Duke, vice president at MAGNET. "We chose to partner with Zebra because of the broad use of its printing applications throughout the industry. From bar coded patient identification wristbands and specimen collection to medication labeling and surgical instrument tracking, Zebra provides the solutions 's healthcare organizations need to deliver the highest possible standard of care at the bedside and beyond."
According to the Institute of Medicine, more than 7,000 deaths occur each year as a result of medication related errors in hospitals. Zebra's on-demand thermal printers and supplies help reduce the risk of death and other adverse effects associated with medication administration errors by offering a secure, compliant bar code solution strategy that ensures positive patient identification. Bar code technology has been shown to substantially reduce costly and dangerous medical errors. According to the recent 17th Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey, medical error reduction and patient safety will remain top business objectives for hospital IT executives in 2006.
"With the right strategies and technology solutions in place, hospitals can dramatically reduce the incidence of medical errors and improve overall safety," said David Crist, vice president of sales for Zebra Technologies. "This agreement will allow us to work with MAGNET and its members to better meet patient safety goals and improve the quality of care through proven solutions like bar coding and RFID."
Zebra is a leading manufacturer of specialty thermal printing solutions including wireless, mobile and high-volume label and wristband printers designed to meet the needs of the healthcare market. Zebra's Z-Band Direct and Z-Band QuickClip patient identification wristbands enable healthcare providers to meet patient safety and privacy standards, such as those set by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In addition, Zebra's newly introduced antimicrobial wristband coating further improves the safety and quality of care by reducing the spread of dangerous and costly hospital infections. For more information about Zebra's healthcare solutions, please call +1 800 423 0442 or visit Zebra's Web site at http://www.zebra.com.
About Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corp. delivers innovative and reliable on-demand printing solutions for business improvement and security applications in 100 countries around the world. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Zebra-brand printers. A broad range of applications benefit from Zebra-brand thermal bar code, "smart" label, receipt, and card printers, resulting in enhanced security, increased productivity, improved quality, lower costs, and better customer service. The company has sold more than four million printers, including RFID printer/encoders and wireless mobile solutions, and also offers software, connectivity solutions and printing supplies. Information about Zebra bar code and RFID products can be found at http://www.zebra.com.
About MAGNET
Founded during the 1979 Middle Atlantic Health Congress, Mid-Atlantic Group Network of Shared Services, Inc. (MAGNET) was created to develop contracts on behalf of its members in the niche market of capital equipment. MAGNET is one of the oldest, largest, and most experienced shared service organizations in the country and serves approximately 12,000 providers, including hospitals, alternate care facilities, and physician practices and clinics with a contract portfolio that includes equipment, services, commodities and the newly emerging area of niche/boutique products. For more information, please visit http://www.magnetgroup.com.
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