The Premier healthcare alliance has hired Leigh Anderson as its new Informatics & Technology Services (ITS) Chief Operating Officer. Most recently Anderson served as Information Technology & Services CIO for the Hospital Corporation of America's supply chain division and as CIO at HealthTrust, a group purchasing organization for hospitals.

Anderson will oversee the day-to-day operations of Premier ITS, including supporting Premier's quality and safety improvement, population health management, and cost reduction apps and solutions. Charlotte, N.C.-based Premier is a provider-owned performance improvement alliance.

Earlier in his career, Anderson served in several executive roles at Global Healthcare Exchange LLC. He led the development of an electronic procurement suite that helps providers increase purchasing contract compliance and ensure price accuracy.

“Constant innovation is key to helping our members deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. Leigh's diverse expertise will help strengthen our processes and operations across IT as we further evolve Premier's strategies,” said Keith Figlioli, Premier’s senior vice president of healthcare informatics, in a prepared statement.

Anderson noted that Premier already has an integrated data model in place tying sourcing and purchasing transactions to outcomes. “As a result, providers have clinical evidence to identify the products that are not needed, instead of simply optimizing a transaction workflow,” he said in the Premier press release. “I look forward to helping alliance members align supply chain and clinical practices to drive more efficient and effective care across the continuum.”