Medline Awarded Premier Contract for Surgical Mesh Biomaterials

MUNDELEIN, IL–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) – Medline Industries, Inc., the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, announced today the signing of a three-year national agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners, the group purchasing unit of Premier, Inc., to provide surgical mesh biomaterials used in soft tissue reinforcement to the more than 2,200 U.S. hospitals and 58,000 healthcare sites that are members of the Premier healthcare alliance. The agreement, which takes effect October 1, 2010, includes MotifMESH^® and VitaMESH^® products for the repair and reinforcement of hernia and other fascial defects.

“We’re very pleased to have been chosen for this contract award based on our shared values of providing great patient care while reducing overall healthcare costs,” said Marc Lessem, Medline’s Vice President of Advanced Wound Care. “Our innovative surgical mesh solutions give Premier members an efficient and effective way to improve patient outcomes in this growing arena.”

Ventral hernia repairs account for approximately 420,000 hernia repair operations annually in the U.S.¹ When a ventral hernia occurs, it usually arises in the abdominal wall where the muscle has weakened or where a previous surgical incision was made.² 

MotifMESH^® is an ideal mesh for ventral hernia repair because it is made from a unique “condensed” polytetrafluoroethylene (cPTFE) polymer. It has a macroporous structure which allows rapid incorporation into the abdominal wall while offering a reduction in adhesion formation to the cPTFE surface. It is the thinnest mesh available for ventral hernia repair at nearly 10X thinner than the two most commonly promoted intra-abdominal meshes.

More common than ventral hernias are inguinal (or groin) hernias, which account for approximately 700,000 hernia operations annually in the U.S.³ Statistically, the lifetime chance of having an inguinal hernia is 27 percent for men and 3 percent for women.⁴ The surgical operation is intended to repair a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents occurring through the inguinal canal. VitaMESH is a strong, lower weight, transparent and easy to manipulate condensed polypropylene material making it a perfect choice for both laparoscopic and open hernia repairs. It is comprised of large interstices providing excellent visibility through the mesh forming a strong, fibrous wall.

About Premier, Inc.
The Premier healthcare alliance includes more than 2,200 U.S. hospitals and 58,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Premier maintains the nation’s most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service Northwest to improve hospital performance.

About Medline Industries, Inc. 
Medline, the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, manufactures and distributes more than 100,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, home care dealers and agencies. Headquartered in Mundelein, IL, Medline has more than 900 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line and cost management services.

Over the past five years, Medline has been the fastest growing distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the U.S., serving as the primary distributor to over 450 major hospitals and healthcare systems. As a leading distributor, Medline offers a comprehensive array of consulting and management services encompassing the supply chain and logistics, utilization and standardization, business tools and enhanced reporting capabilities, and on-staff clinicians.