IRVING, TX--(Marketwire) - Check messages? Yes! Order lunch? Check! Monitor supply spend? Absolutely!

As Smartphones and tablets with advanced computing capabilities become ubiquitous, hospital professionals want "anytime, anyplace" visibility into their current purchasing activity. To monitor cost containment on the go, they can now turn to a mobile version of VHA LYNX that includes VHA PriceLYNX™, VHA's industry-leading price benchmarking solution, which allows subscribers to identify new initiatives and prioritize competing purchasing efforts that often occur simultaneously at multiple locations.

Developed in conjunction with Novation, VHA Inc.'s supply contracting company, the recently expanded VHA LYNX mobile access application now features the ability to monitor system-wide pricing as well as convert purchases to functionally equivalent, lower priced items available through Novation's private-label brand with NOVAPLUS® Analysis.

"I can sit in a meeting with a vendor while he or she explains how awesome their prices are and I can bring up their price list on the VHA LYNX mobile app as they are talking, type in one of their part numbers and see how they compare to the benchmark prices," said John Aaron, director of purchasing at NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Ill. "That is so valuable. Other benchmarking services do not offer the ability to validate pricing wherever and whenever you need it."

Currently available for iPhone® and iPad® users, any VHA member can download the VHA LYNX mobile app from the App Store(SM). Mobile access is also available through Android™ Smartphones and tablets.

"During the VHA Leadership Conference earlier this year, the VHA LYNX mobile demonstration was one of the best-attended and most favorably received presentations we shared. Their most common response was 'wow!' closely followed by 'I can really see us using this,'" said Nik Fincher, VHA vice president, analytics sales. Fincher added that members were excited by the mobile app's ability to provide its users with accurate pricing information wherever and whenever they need it.

VHA LYNX mobile represents just one component of VHA's robust suite of analytical solutions that help hospitals reduce costs and improve supply chain management. This powerful array of products and services also includes: VHA DataLYNX™, VHA PriceLYNX™, VHA Physician PreferenceLYNX™, a contract catalog, plus supplemental services that further improve members' cost saving opportunities such as spend analysis, services analysis and pharmacy analysis. In 2010, VHA LYNX helped members implement savings of more than $700 million.

About VHA

VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance, and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Since 1977, VHA has leveraged its expertise in analytics, contracting, consulting and networks to help members achieve their operational, clinical and financial objectives. In 2010, VHA delivered record savings and value of $1.7 billion to members. VHA serves more than 1,350 hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute care providers nationwide, coordinating delivery of its programs and services through its 16 regional offices. VHA has been ranked as one of the best places to work in health care by Modern Healthcare since the publication introduced this list in 2008.

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