The national healthcare purchasing networks VHA and UHC  are merging ”to gain capital as tight hospital budgets and demands for new data and analytics tools upend the traditional healthcare purchasing model.” Modern Healthcare reports.

”The deal is the latest in a healthcare purchasing market that is undergoing significant change largely driven by two factors. The hospital and non-acute-care provider markets are consolidating. At the same time healthcare administrators are seeking out sophisticated data and analytics tools, such as those sold by GPOs and other firms, that can help them improve quality and reduce costs,” the publication reported.