GHX, maker of online software that manages supply chains for the health care industry, has bought technology allowing it to track surgically implanted devices. The company acquired the Beep N Track software from Implanet, a French maker of prosthetics.

GHX CEO Bruce Johnson was named one of Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine’s 2012 Provider Pros to Know for his work in preparing the healthcare supply chain for the significant challenges of today’s business climate.

One theme prevalent throughout the event was increasing regulatory and market pressure on providers and suppliers to collect and report device-related data.

One of the greatest challenges that supply chain leaders face when launching global data standards initiatives is convincing the C-suite to support for the effort.

Quietly, GHX has grown to handle half the ordering volume of medical surgical supplies to U.S. hospitals — goods valued at $46 billion this year, up from $30 billion that GHX handled in 2009.

GHX is soliciting more pharma participants to evaluate data-exchange protocols.

The supply chain presents common ground where healthcare trading partners can collaborate to improve operations and reduce costs. Collaboration takes costs out of the entire system, rather than shifting them, benefiting all parties involved.

GHX recently ranked among the top five vendors of e-procurement technology in the ease of use, control, implementation services, customer satisfaction and product viability categories. GHX scored among the top five in five of 11 categories in the Gartner “E-Procurement Market and Vendor Landscape” report.

The healthcare industry has been anxiously awaiting publication of the U.S. FDA's proposed rule for a UDI system to improve how healthcare trading partners identify devices.

With supply chain accounting for up to half of a facility’s expense stream, the key executives that comprise the C-Suite know where to turn for results.