VHA Renews Agreement with Ascent Healthcare Solutions as Its Reprocessing/Remanufacturing Partner

Award of Reprocessing Agreement Underscores Magnitude of Value Ascent Brings to
VHA Membership
PHOENIX--(Business Wire)--
Ascent Healthcare Solutions, a leader in delivering healthcare resource
sustainability, today announced that VHA Inc., the national health care network,
has awarded Ascent an agreement to provide remanufactured/reprocessed
`single-use` medical devices. The agreement between the companies solidifies
their mutual commitment to improving the cost and quality of healthcare and
protecting the environment. The scope of the partnership goes beyond an
endorsement of Ascent`s program; it launches a renewed and stronger
collaboration between VHA and Ascent to drive hospital sustainability and
demonstrates the added, substantial value VHA members will receive from the
agreement.

In 2008, VHA members that participated in Ascent`s program saved more than $38
million and diverted one million pounds of waste. "VHA hospitals have enjoyed a
successful collaboration with Ascent, and look forward to achieving stronger
results year after year," explained Amy Anthony, Senior Vice President, VHA
supply chain services.

Rick Ferreira, Chief Operating Officer of Ascent Healthcare Solutions,
explained, "It is gratifying to be a part of this transformational change -
creating healthy hospitals that are patient-care focused and that are also
environmentally and economically more sustainable. Through this renewed
agreement we can create even stronger results for VHA hospitals; the added value
of our agreement is just another way we deliver exponential value to our
partners. We will work closely with VHA to ensure its members optimize the
benefits of the program so that they may focus on providing quality care for
patients and consumers."

About VHA

VHA Inc. is a national network of more than 1,400 not-for-profit community
hospitals and 24,000 non-acute care providers working together to improve their
clinical and financial performance. VHA offers comprehensive supply chain
management services, world-class health care analytics and an innovative suite
of clinical support services. The VHA network includes some of the nation's
largest integrated delivery systems, urban health care providers and small,
rural hospitals. VHA, recognized for its citizenship and sustainability
practices, is based in Irving, Texas, and has a network of 16 regional offices
across the country. For more information about VHA, please visit www.vha.com.

ABOUT ASCENT HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS

By continuously pioneering sustainability initiatives in healthcare, Ascent
Healthcare Solutions has become a leader in the medical device industry.
Ascent`s programs target inefficient practices to reclaim and redirect
consumable and financial resources to promote healthy and responsible hospitals.
Today, Ascent`s medical device sustainability programs deliver remanufactured
and/or reprocessed medical devices as well as comprehensive recycling and
redistribution initiatives. Ascent has been recognized as a "Champion for
Change" by Practice Greenhealth in recognition of the dramatic environmental
benefits its remanufacturing and reprocessing programs provide to U.S. hospitals
and surgery centers. Ascent`s more than 1,800 hospital partners include most of
the U.S. News & World Report "Honor Roll" hospitals. The company has agreements
with all leading national group purchasing organizations as well as numerous
nationally recognized hospital integrated delivery networks. For more
information about Ascent Healthcare Solutions, visit www.ascenths.com.

Amendola Communications for Ascent Healthcare Solutions
Janet Cabibbo, 480-664-8412, ext. 15
jcabibbo@acmarketingpr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009