Creative Healthcare USA signs Agreement to provide Six Sigma performance improvement services to Blood Systems Laboratories, Tempe AZ

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (October 14, 2002) -- Creative Healthcare USA (CHC) and Blood Systems Laboratories (BSL) have signed a formal agreement whereby CHC will provide performance improvement consulting and training services to BSL utilizing the methodologies in a process now known as "Six Sigma." Six Sigma is a leading process improvement methodology used by world class companies to achieve significant improvements in quality, service, productivity and customer satisfaction. It uses a variety of sophisticated statistical tools and skills, integrated with a standardized methodology, to measure, analyze, improve and control processes.

"We are delighted to include BSL among the growing number of organizations in the medical sector that are taking a positive step toward improved performance," notes Ian R. Lazarus, CHC's Managing Partner. "And because Six Sigma methodologies use customer-driven measures as the basis for improvement, the customer will ultimately enjoy the most significant benefits from this important new initiative."

Under the terms of the agreement, CHC will perform projects at BSL while assisting staff to learn the new methodologies. Six Sigma is a relatively new phenomenon in the fields of health and medicine, but many leading healthcare institutions are finding it useful in overcoming challenges not satisfied by traditional quality improvement initiatives. BSL plans to make its use of Six Sigma methodologies to further institutionalize their ongoing progress in quality improvement within their two main blood processing facilities.

About Blood Systems Laboratories:

Blood Systems (BSL) is one of the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit community blood service providers, maintaining a network of 70 regional blood and community donor centers in 18 states. Blood Systems employs nearly 2500 and serves over 600 healthcare organizations in a geographic area covering one third of the United States. Over 25 million people reside in the contiguous areas served by BSL. During 2001, Blood Systems processed approximately 5 million tubes of blood and conducted over 1 million blood quality tests.

About Creative Healthcare USA:

Creative Healthcare USA is a leading provider of Six Sigma and related consulting services to the healthcare industry. Healthcare administrators, physicians and Six Sigma certified "black belts" formed Creative Healthcare in 1998, providing performance improvement programs, business development and strategic advisory services, CRM and e-Health solutions, and marketing and market research services. Creative Healthcare is a founding charter member of the International Society of Six Sigma Professionals. They offer a free Primer on Six Sigma for Healthcare Providers at www.creative-healthcare.com.