SAN ANTONIO, June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakthroughs 2013 Conference, Booth #1141 -- Kimberly-Clark today announced it was awarded three group purchasing agreements with the Premier healthcare alliance for its KimVent Oral Care products and the Pediatric Microcuff Endotracheal Tube. It was awarded two agreements for its KimVent Oral Care products, including one contract within Premier's Accelerated Supply Chain Endeavor (ASCEND) program, both effective Aug. 1, 2013. The contracts provide specially negotiated pricing and terms for Premier's nearly 100,000 hospitals and other care sites. Earlier this year, the Company was awarded a contract through Premier's Technology Breakthroughs Program for its Pediatric Microcuff Endotracheal Tube.

Kimberly-Clark's new ASCEND agreement for its KimVent Oral Care products allows Premier's more than 300 ASCEND member hospitals to take advantage of additional pricing opportunities. ASCEND is designed to help healthcare providers achieve and sustain rapid improvements in supply chain performance and Kimberly-Clark is the only supplier providing oral care products for those facilities. Designed for nurses by nurses, KimVent 24 Hour Oral Care Kits offers a complete portfolio of oral care solutions to help maintain protocol compliance and specifically address the risk factors associated with ventilator-associated events such as ventilator-associated pneumonia which can be caused by oral aspiration of pathogenic bacteria and contaminated secretions. The second KimVent Oral Care products award, allows all Premier members to take advantage of specially negotiated pricing and terms for the KimVent Oral Care solutions.

Premier's Technology Breakthroughs Program recognizes the development of healthcare technology that noticeably improves the safety, quality, process and/or outcome of care for its hospital members. Kimberly-Clark's Pediatric Microcuff Endotracheal Tube was recognized as the first cuffed endotracheal tube (ETT) developed specifically for the pediatric anatomy. It provides confidence in a sealed airway with a micro-thin cuff that seals at ultra-low pressure¹ reducing the risk of airway trauma. The product is also designed for ideal anatomical cuff placement ² with a short, cylindrical cuff, anatomically-based intubation depth marks for correct placement, and four precision bands to facilitate and confirm optimal placement. According to a recent study, advancements in cuffed ETTs have made them safer to use in infants and children and have shown a cost savings benefit related to decreased use of anesthetic agents and medical gases and a decreased need to change to a different ETT because of a large air leak ³ .

"Earning this recognition from Premier is a testament to our commitment to delivering world class products and services for respiratory health," said Joanne Bauer, president, Kimberly-Clark Healthcare. "In addition to being awarded another agreement for our KimVent Oral Care Kits, we are proud that Premier's hospital members will now have the opportunity to experience the benefits of our Pediatric Microcuff Endotracheal Tube product."

About the Premier healthcare alliance
Premier is the nation's largest performance improvement alliance of more than 2,800 U.S. hospitals and 95,000 other sites using the power of collaboration and technology to lead the transformation to coordinated, high-quality, cost-effective care. Owned by healthcare providers, Premier operates a leading purchasing network with more than $5 billion in annual savings. Premier also maintains clinical, financial and outcomes databases based on 1 in every 4 patient discharges. A world leader in measurably improving patient care, Premier has the largest performance improvement collaboratives in America, including one in partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington. https://www.premierinc.com. Stay connected with Premier on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 141-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.  

Kimberly-Clark in the Healthcare Environment
Around the world, medical professionals turn to Kimberly-Clark for a wide portfolio of solutions that improve the health, hygiene and well-being of their patients and staff. As part of their healing mission, caregivers rely on Kimberly-Clark to deliver clinical solutions, hygiene & cleaning offerings, and educational resources that they can depend on to prevent, diagnose and manage a wide variety of healthcare-associated infections. A global enterprise of more than $1 billion, Kimberly-Clark Health Care holds the No. 1 or No. 2 market share position in several categories, including infection control solutions, surgical solutions, pain management, hygiene solutions and digestive health. And throughout the care continuum, patients and staff alike trust Kimberly-Clark medical supplies and devices, KLEENEX tissues, KLEENEX & SCOTT skin care products and SCOTT towels for day-to-day needs. For more information, visit http://www.kchealthcare.com and http://www.kcprofessional.com.

¹ Dullenkopf, Gerber AC, Weiss M.  Fit and Seal Characteristics of a New Paediatric Tracheal Tube with High-Volume Low-Pressure Polyurethane Cuff. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2005; 49: 232-237.

² Weiss M, Gerber AC, Dullenkopf A.  Appropriate placement of intubation depth marks in a new cuffed paediatric tracheal tube. British Journal of Anaesthesia 2005; 94: 80-87.

³ Tobias JD et al. "Cuffed Endotracheal Tubes in Infants and Children." ICU DIRECTOR 2013.

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corp.