ATLANTA – Healthcare providers looking at large construction projects are finding that the process they use for inventory management can also be applied to bricks and mortar.
MedAssets, an Atlanta-based developer of spend management and revenue cycle solutions for providers and group purchasing organizations, launched the MedAssets Construction Services program in March.
Using a platform from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based e-Builder, the program leverages business process automation, cost control, scheduling, document management and reporting tools as well as MedAssets’ GPO network.
The program will offer building planning services including architectural, planning, construction management, data center design and interior design services; building raw materials; building systems, including HVAC, plumbing, fire and life safety systems and medical gas systems; and building interiors, including artwork, furniture and paint.
“It’s something entirely new,” said Cheryl Israel, executive director of MedAssets’ construction service program. “We’re trying to put the right partners and the right tools into place to help (hospitals). It’s a comprehensive front-end planning approach.”
Israel said the program had been in the development stages for about six months as MedAssets officials interviewed construction firms and other parties to develop a program portfolio. The company now has 25 projects in the groundbreaking stages or beyond, she said, and a backlog of prospective customers.
One example of the program’s success, she said, can be found at the San Diego-based Scripps Health network, which saw a $1.5 million savings in the purchase of fire alarm systems.
Israel said MedAssets helps hospitals manage a capital project’s lifecycle by offering integrated business process automation, cost control, scheduling, document management and reporting tools. She said the program begins negotiating with contractors a year in advance and continues negotiating throughout the construction process.
“Our job is to connect the dots,” she said.
“Our new construction program combines MedAssets’ consultative, collaborative approach, a value-driven sourcing process and state-of-the-art technology from e-Builder,” said Rand Ballard, MedAssets’ chief operating officer and chief customer officer. “MedAssets’ customers will benefit from savings, visibility throughout the process and the ability to leverage consistency for future projects and expansion.”
“MedAssets and e-Builder are breaking new ground with this innovative relationship,” said Jonathan Antevy, CEO of e-Builder. “Through this exclusive agreement, e-Builder technology and MedAssets’ expertise in purchasing will help healthcare providers realize the most value. The result will be better executed construction projects and measurable cost savings in the U.S. healthcare system.”
