Amerinet Partners With 1SYNC for Access to Global Data Synchronization Network

      

The GDSN facilitates the sharing of data among supply-chain partners in an automated, standards-based, electronic environment. In order to access the GDSN, organizations must first select a data pool. 1SYNC, the GS1 US data pool, is the leading data pool for the GDSN, which is a standard developed and maintained by the global, not-for-profit GS1 organization. Healthcare is a growing portion of the GDSN, with 1SYNC connecting the largest number of healthcare suppliers.

GS1 provides established supply-chain standards that enable the sharing of standardized product and location information and ensures that all supply-chain partners are using identical, up-to-date, reliable data. The standards include:

• Global Trade Item Number (GTIN^®) - a standardized number (similar to a UPC symbol) used to uniquely identify manufactured products, at each packaging level.
• Global Location Number (GLN) - a standardized number used to uniquely identify healthcare provider and supplier locations.
• Global Data Synchronization Network - which stores GTIN and GLN data, allowing users to access information regarding products, including changes and updates.

Amerinet is a member of the GDSN Early Adoption Group facilitated by GS1 Healthcare US. The group has been instrumental in accelerating education and implementation efforts relative to the GDSN. "Amerinet has been an early adopter in implementing these standards with the goal of improving patient safety and driving costs out of the supply chain," said Mary Beth Lang, Amerinet's senior vice president, business intelligence and spend analytics and president, Diagnostix. "1SYNC is a leader in synchronizing data across the global supply and demand chains, and we look forward to working with them to help our members and suppliers enhance their operational efficiency and effectiveness."

Amerinet has proactively funded and obtained GLNs for members for the past four years and has been working with suppliers to implement the use of GLNs and GTINs. They also completed successful GDSN pilots with the Department of Defense and GS1 Global, said Lang, who is a member of the GS1 Healthcare leadership group.

"This decision demonstrates how serious Amerinet is in its intent to improve both patient safety and supply-chain efficiency," said Bob Carpenter, CEO of GS1 US. "Our 1SYNC data pool connects more trading partners around the world than any other GDSN data pool, and offers cost-effective operations with solutions and services that support user needs and make implementation easier, to fully unlock the value of data synchronization."

Amerinet also fully supports the adoption of GS1 standards by the industry-accepted "sunrise" dates of December 31, 2010, for the GLN and December 31, 2012, for the GTIN. Beginning in 2012, Amerinet will require all successful contract bidders to be in compliance with GS1 standards.

About Amerinet

As a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization, Amerinet strategically partners with acute and alternate care providers to reduce costs and improve quality through its performance solutions. Built on a foundation of data, savings and trust, and supported by a team of clinical and supply chain experts, Amerinet enriches healthcare delivery for its members and the communities they serve. To learn more about the Amerinet difference, visit www.amerinet-gpo.com.

About 1SYNC

1SYNC, a not-for-profit subsidiary of GS1 US, is the largest certified data pool in the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN). The 1SYNC community currently consists of 50 leading retailers and more than 5,000 suppliers worldwide. These implementations comprise data for more than 2 million items synchronized in the GDSN. 1SYNC is dedicated to the implementation of standards-based, global supply chain solutions, and offers a robust, easy-to-use solution that can reduce costly data errors and increase supply-chain efficiencies for companies of all sizes. For more information, visit www.1SYNC.org.

About GS1 US

GS1 US is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the adoption and implementation of standards-based, global supply-chain solutions. More than 200,000 businesses in 25 industries rely on GS1 US for trading-partner collaboration and for maximizing the cost effectiveness, speed, visibility, and traceability of their goods moving around the world. They achieve these benefits through GS1 US solutions based on GS1 global unique numbering and identification systems, bar codes, Electronic Product Code-based RFID, data synchronization, and electronic information exchange. GS1 US also manages the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC). www.GS1US.org

Amerinet Inc.
Evan Danis, 724-778-3423
Manager, Public Relations and Internal Communications
evan.danis@amerinet-gpo.com