Coronary Patients to Leave Participating Premier Hospitals with Bayer Heart
Health Discharge Packs
SAN DIEGO, and MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Premier Purchasing
Partners L.P., one of the country's largest group purchasing organizations
serving members of the Premier healthcare alliance, and the Consumer Care
Division of Bayer Corporation announced today the launch of a novel
cardiovascular program. Called the "Heart Health Program," it is designed to
encourage patient compliance with prescribed daily aspirin regimens, once
patients are discharged from participating Premier hospitals.
Through the Heart Health Program, Bayer will supply to Premier's 1,700
participating hospital pharmacies, Heart Health Discharge Packs to be
dispensed to appropriate patients. Each pack will contain a starter sample of
enteric-coated, 81 mg. Bayer Aspirin, with a daily reminder cap to help
patients track their daily dosage, and an educational brochure, "What is a
Heart Attack?," developed with the American Heart Association. The pack will
also contain a money-saving coupon good towards the purchase of Bayer Aspirin.
"Millions of Americans can experience life-saving benefits from a
prescribed aspirin regimen -- but only if they stick with it," said Gary
Balkema, President of Bayer Consumer Care Division, in explaining the
rationale behind the program. "Aspirin is now widely prescribed for the
prevention of heart attack or stroke in patients who have suffered a previous
heart attack or stroke, or who suffer from stable or unstable angina. Our
objective is to get them on the right track. Little can be more powerful in
enhancing patient compliance than encouraging them to leave the hospital with
the doctor's order, a starter supply of Bayer Aspirin, and consumer education
materials that emphasize the important role aspirin therapy can play in their
future health and well-being."
Charles Jacobson, MD, Premier's Executive Vice President responsible for
overseeing the organization's cardiovascular program initiatives, added, "We
are pleased to work with Bayer on this important program, which we believe
will bring great dividends to our patients. By motivating discharged patients
to take the daily aspirin prescribed by their physician, we can maybe prevent
additional coronary hospitalizations, or worse."
The joint program was spearheaded through Bayer Health Care Partners,
which represents the healthcare business of Bayer Corporation, Agfa, and
Schein Pharmaceutical in strategic alliances and partnerships with major U.S.
health care providers. Said Len LaBonia, Vice President, Bayer Health Care
Partners, "Our corporate partnership with Premier has allowed us to offer this
exclusive program to one-third of the country's hospitals. This is a great
example of suppliers and providers working together for a powerful outcome."
Bayer is planning to track the utilization of the program in Premier
facilities and will use its findings to further enhance the Heart Health
Discharge Pack Program in year two.
Premier, Inc., is one of the largest health care alliance enterprises in
the United States, serving its approximately 215 owners and the 700 hospitals
and health care facilities they operate, and approximately 1,100 other
affiliated hospital and health care organizations. Premier maintains major
offices in Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; San Diego, CA; and Washington, DC.
Visit Premier's Web site at http://www.premierinc.com.
Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major businesses in
health care and life sciences and chemicals. The company had 1998 sales of
$8.1 billion and employs more than 23,000 people. Bayer Corporation is
investing $15 billion in capital expenditures and research and development
from 1995 through the year 2004. 1999 capital investment and R&D expenditures
are projected to total $1.6 billion. Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in
Pittsburgh, is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $31 billion chemicals
and health care group based in Leverkusen, Germany. For more information
about Bayer Corporation, visit Bayer's web site at http://www.bayerus.com.
SOURCE Bayer Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.bayerus.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/092575.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 092575
CONTACT:
Anne Coiley of Bayer Consumer Care Division,
973-254-4607, or George Couto of Bayer Health Care Partners,
203-812-6612, or Laura Yandell of Premier, 704-679-5425
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