HGPII Announces Major New Initiatives To Further Increase Transparency And Oversight In The Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry

ERC President, Patricia J. Harned, Ph.D. participated in developing these HGPII initiatives.

At Annual Best Practices Forum, GPO Leaders Urge Congress and Others to Enhance Transparency in the Healthcare Supply Chain

Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2010) – The Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative (HGPII), an organization that promotes the highest ethical standards and practices in the health care group purchasing industry, today announced a series of major initiatives to further increase transparency and oversight in the health care group purchasing industry.  Upon successful completion of its fifth annual Best Practices Forum in Washington, D.C., HGPII introduced plans to establish an independent process for healthcare suppliers to file business grievances, as well as the convening of an independent ethics advisory panel to provide objective and independent guidance towards continued compliance with the highest ethical standards.

“GPOs are the most transparent and competitive industry in the health care sector because of our unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards and practices,” said Richard J. Bednar, HGPII Coordinator.  “HGPII’s purpose is to help GPOs continue to lead the way in transparency and accountability by constantly reevaluating and improving industry best practices and implementing new policies to ensure those standards are maintained and exceeded.”

HGPII was assisted in developing these initiatives for an independent ethics advisory panel and an independent grievance process by esteemed ethics experts Dr. Pat Harned, President, Ethics Resource Center; Dr. Mike Hoffman, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Business Ethics, Bentley University; and Ms. Lori Tansley Martens, Founder and President, International Business Ethics Institute. 

“Each of these major steps will provide an additional layer of ethical oversight in the healthcare sector,” said Bednar.  “HGPII actively urges other industries in the healthcare sector to follow our lead by implementing their own policies that increase transparency, eliminate conflicts of interest, and bring the highest quality health care to patients everywhere.” 

“Hosting this annual forum to hold a constructive dialogue with a diverse range of industry and ethics experts is essential to adapting HGPII policies to fit the constantly changing dynamics of the healthcare industry, and we are gratified that Congressional staff members and others were able to attend and participate in the conference” said HGPII Chairman, Lee H. Perlman.  “Each year we make great strides in reaching our overall goal of bringing maximum transparency, quality, and value to the healthcare supply chain. We welcome and continue to seek input from a wide range of parties outside of our organization.”

Since its inception in 2005, HGPII has demonstrated a strong commitment to ethical business conduct and practices in the health care GPO industry.  The Initiative is sustained by the conviction that integrity of business conduct and practices directly add value to the accessibility and quality of healthcare at competitive prices. In the development of its guiding principles, HGPII consulted with Members of Congress, Hill staff, ethicists, outside industry experts, and leaders in the GPO industry. 

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Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative
Founded in 2005, the Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative (HGPII) is an organization that promotes and monitors the best ethical and business practices in purchasing for hospitals and other healthcare providers. The goal of the Initiative is to assure ongoing adherence to ethical conduct and business practices, and to hold the confidence of the public and the government in the integrity of the GPO industry. Each GPO has committed to the Initiative at the highest level and adheres to a strict code of ethical conduct. The governing body of the Initiative is comprised of the nine founding GPO Chief Executive Officers, who serve as a Steering Committee to set the Initiative’s policies and programs.