Alere Medical (Reno, Nevada) said it would provide its comprehensive heart failure management program to Humana's (Louisville, Kentucky) Medicare Advantage members who suffer from advanced congestive heart failure. Humana serves more than 200,000 Medicare members in the covered areas. Alere develops technology and services that remotely monitor patients and provide physicians with information to enhance patient management.

Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California) has signed a new agreement with St. Joseph Health System (Orange, California) to provide the integrated healthcare delivery network with a wide range of diagnostic laboratory instrument systems, software and test kits. Under the $25 million, five-year agreement, Beckman Coulter is the sole-source provider of automation, immunoassay, data management and general chemistry products. The new agreement includes the company's full range of automation equipment, including the Power Processor sample-processing system and related automation modules and connections. It also includes the Access 2 immunoassay system, UniCel DxI 800 Access immunoassay system, DL 2000 data manager, Synchron LX 20 PRO clinical system and the Synchron LXi 725 clinical system, which performs more than 140 chemistry and immunoassay tests.

Catholic Health System (CHS; Buffalo, New York), one of the two largest healthcare providers in western New York, reported agreeing to a 10-year, $100 million strategic alliance with Siemens Medical Solutions (Malvern, Pennsylvania). CHS said the agreement marks the first time it has entered into such a long-term agreement with a vendor. According to CHS, the alliance features the latest in diagnostic imaging and healthcare information technology solutions from Siemens, including Soarian, the company's new-generation healthcare information solution. Soarian brings together images and data seamlessly from a variety of medical modalities, integrating clinical, financial, diagnostic and administrative processes. CHS facilities will have access to Siemens' full range of medical imaging technologies, including magnetic resonance, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, angiography, catheterization laboratory and digital radiography systems. The agreement features a non-obsolescence program that ensures CHS facilities of receiving the latest technologies from Siemens.

Merit Medical Systems (South Jordan, Utah), a manufacturer of disposable products used primarily in cardiology and radiology procedures, has signed a supplier agreement with Novation (Irving, Texas), the supply company of VHA and the University HealthSystem Consortium. The agreement, which runs through July 31, 2007, covers Merit's line of cardiology products, including diagnostic catheters, diagnostic guide wires, fluid management kits and components, inflation devices and angioplasty accessories. The agreement also extends to healthcare organizations that purchase supplies through HealthCare Purchasing Partners International, a company that markets Novation purchasing agreements to non-members of VHA and UHC. Merit Medical makes disposable products used in interventional and diagnostic procedures, particularly in cardiology and radiology.

McKesson (San Francisco) said it has signed a three-year distribution contract with Adventist Health System (Winter Park, Florida), the largest not-for-profit Protestant healthcare organization in the U.S. The agreement calls for McKesson Medical-Surgical (Richmond, Virginia) to supply medical-surgical distribution services to 35 of 38 Adventist acute-care facilities, serving a total of 5,600 beds, in eight states. McKesson also will provide Adventist with its information/data management system, OPTYX, along with other enhanced distribution and supply chain management services.

Orthofix International (Huntersville, North Carolina) has entered into a three-year contract with Premier (San Diego) to begin supplying orthopedic trauma products throughout the Premier system, effective Sept. 1. The contract, the first between the two organizations, will extend through August 2007 and covers various customized orthopedic trauma products currently marketed by Orthofix.

Siemens Medical Solutions (Concord, California) said its Oncology Workflow Solutions are the basis of a three-year contract with Premier Purchasing Partners (San Diego) that runs through Aug. 31, 2007. The 200-plus hospitals and healthcare systems that make up the Premier membership will have access to Siemens' oncology solutions, including what the company said are the most advanced linear accelerator technologies and radiation therapy software tools available.

SonoSite (Seattle), which focuses on high-performance, hand-carried ultrasound technology, said it has entered into a multi-year agreement with Boston Scientific (Natick, Massachusetts) under which Boston Scientific's Oncology Division will serve as the exclusive distributor of SonoSite's iLook ultrasound systems for select U.S. vascular access and interventional markets. The agreement extends through 2008 with an option for renewal. The agreement covers the iLook 15 and iLook 25 hand-carried ultrasound systems for the guidance of medical procedures such as placement of intravenous catheters, ports and other long-dwelling implants for interventional radiology, nephrology, oncology and general/vascular surgery applications.