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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn Hickey
Phone: 703-243-9262

Arlington, VA (October 30, 2002) - The Health Industry Group Purchasing Association's (HIGPA) 2002 Purchaser of Year Award was presented to MedAssets, Inc. at the Association's annual International EXPO on October 17, 2002 in Orlando, Florida. HIGPA's Board of Director's Chair-elect and 2002 EXPO Steering Committee Chairman, Ed Gravell, director of Cardinal Health, presented this award to Rand Ballard, president of MedAssets HSCA.

"We are delighted to be recognized by our supply partners and the industry," said Ballard. "MedAssets has a different GPO [group purchasing organization] model that we believe is right for the future of the health care industry, bringing greater value and flexibility to our members and suppliers."

MedAssets HSCA is the largest independent GPO in the country, serving more than 16,000 health care providers nationwide with purchasing power approaching $7 billion in gross annual throughput. It is MedAssets HSCA's mission to be the market-leading, customer-oriented supply chain contract services company, focused on maximizing the financial performance of health care institutions.

Presented each year at EXPO, the Purchaser of the Year Award honors the group purchasing organization who has proven to be a leader in the purchasing community and demonstrates the promise of future accomplishments. The award criteria state that the organization must have made significant contributions to the health care field, to their customers and membership, and to HIGPA. Nominations were collected from the HIGPA membership earlier this year, with the final vote taken by HIGPA trading partner members attending the 2002 EXPO.

HIGPA's annual International EXPO was held this year in Orlando, Florida. Over 640 executives and senior managers from health care related companies attended this three-day educational and networking event, including leading Silver Sponsors Aventis Pharmaceuticals and Merck & Company.

HIGPA is a chartered trade association of approximately 165 health care purchasing and supply chain organizations. HIGPA's Industry Members include purchasing groups, associations, and health care provider alliances. HIGPA's Trading Partner members include many of the world's leading health care product manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and related suppliers. According to a recent study conducted by a former principal analyst at the Congressional Budget Office, hospitals save patients over $30 billion each year by purchasing products through group contracts.

To learn more about HIGPA or the group purchasing industry, visit www.higpa.org or call 703-243-9262.

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