Novation, the leading health care supply chain expertise and contracting company for the members of VHA Inc., UHC, Children’s Hospital Association, and Provista LLC, announced that it has awarded agreements to two of the most respected suppliers for surgical nonwovens.

The surgical nonwovens product category includes standard packs, drapes and gowns, and bulk nonsterile products. The agreements were awarded to Medline and Kimberly-Clark, and are effective January 1, 2013.

The surgical nonwovens will be included in a future standardization program, also effective January 1. Novation’s standardization programs save members millions of dollars each year and assist health care organizations in reducing variation in their non-clinical preference products while increasing ordering efficiencies and streamlining inventory management. These programs deliver value while offering flexibility, a platform for process improvement, and a broad selection of contracts for key product areas of standardization.

The new agreements, awarded through Novation’s competitive contracting process, offer savings of up to 8-9% over market pricing for member hospitals.

“These agreements offer market-leading value and savings, as well as high quality and superior service with respected suppliers,” said Pete Allen, senior vice president, sourcing operations at Novation. “Providing high-quality patient care in the most cost-efficient manner possible is more important to hospitals than ever before. The current economic climate is challenging for hospitals, and Medline and Kimberly-Clark have proven they are committed to delivering outstanding value and service to the members we serve.”