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Consorta Named Champion for Change by Hospitals for a Health Environment

Schaumburg, Ill., May 7, 2007 - Consorta, a leading healthcare group purchasing and resource management organization announced that it will receive the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) Champion for Change Award for its leadership in improving environmental performance of the healthcare sector. Consorta will be presented with the award at the annual Environmental Excellence Summit on May 14, 2007, which is hosted by H2E. Consorta will also be heralded for its continuous support of H2E's goals. H2E is a landmark initiative to improve the environmental performance of the health care industry. This is the fourth consecutive year Consorta has been recognized for its ongoing successful efforts to help its member healthcare facilities reduce their collective impact on the environment and improve the health of the communities they serve.

"Consorta is thrilled to receive this honor which is a reflection of our mission and dedication to our environmentally preferable purchasing program," said John W. Strong, president and CEO of Consorta. "We see it as our duty and responsibility to our shareholders to hold suppliers accountable for the content of their products and to ensure the safety and quality of those products and services meet the needs of patients, clinicians and communities that we serve."

Laura Wenger, Director of Clinical Integration for Consorta, Inc, who oversees the organization's environmental initiatives, added, "We are very proud of our ongoing commitment to environmentally preferable purchasing, which enables our shareholders to provide safer care for their patients and the communities they serve. Consorta continues to advocate for environmentally preferable products and works closely with our various shareholders on numerous educational programs, our searchable database, and actively seek out available alternatives."

In acknowledging Consorta's work, Laura Brannen, Director of the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment program said, "Consorta is at the forefront of a fundamental shift in the health care industry toward the proactive improvement of public health. Consorta is driving the sector's use of healthier and more responsible products and practices. They are to be commended for their contribution to this visionary work that benefits us all."

The 2007 Champion for Change Award cited many of Consorta's environmental efforts, including:

Designing and testing a method to measure and report trends in the use of mercury-free products within the Consorta membership
Developing methods to measure and document suppliers' waste reduction initiatives
Collaborating with an international effort to develop a chemicals policy for health care
Providing accredited continuing education programs for health care professionals that focus on vital environmental issues
Supporting green building initiatives
Implementing a food policy to support elimination of inappropriate antibiotic use in food production

"The industry has long recognized Consorta as the leader in environmentally preferable purchasing and this award validates that claim," added Strong. "Consorta was the first in the healthcare group purchasing industry to introduce a searchable database of environmentally preferable products. Plus, our staff works closely with suppliers to identify products with potentially dangerous content as well as environmentally preferable products and good waste minimization practices."

About Consorta, Inc.
Consorta, based in suburban Chicago, is a leading healthcare resource management and group purchasing organization whose shareholders are faith-based or non-profit health systems. Consorta's 12 shareholder healthcare systems are among the leading integrators of non-profit healthcare in America. Consorta's membership now encompasses more than 3,637 care sites, including 546 acute care hospitals, 872 ambulatory care and 255 extended care facilities throughout the country. Through its Advantage Program, Consorta provides contract purchasing power for some of the nation's leading non-profit organizations.

About H2E
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment's mission is the transformation of the health care sector to embrace safer building products, clean air, energy and water efficiency, safe working practices, and a commitment to public health demonstrated through waste volume and toxicity reduction. As a non-profit organization jointly founded by the American Hospital Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, Healthcare Without Harm, and the American Nurses Association, H2E educates health care professionals about pollution prevention opportunities, rewards the sector's best performers, and provides a wealth of practical tools and resources to facilitate the industry's movement toward environmental sustainability.

Press Contact:
Debra Lynn Ross
dross@consorta.com
847-592-7864