Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2009 revenue of $10.7 billion, Covidien has 42,000 employees worldwide in more than 60 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries.

As a global leader, Covidien has a history of quality and innovation. Covidien Surgical Devices develops and manufactures products that streamline surgical procedures, create time saving efficiencies and help improve clinical performance. Devices include open and endoscopic staplers, access and ligation instrumentation, soft tissue repair including mesh and suture materials, biosurgery materials and sports surgery products. www.covidien.com

Ekahau Inc. is the industry leader in providing Wi-Fi-based Real-time Location System (RTLS) solutions. Our customers use Wi-Fi based location services and innovative Wi-Fi network planning and optimization tools for many diverse scenarios. Ekahau's solutions are used in more than 300 hospitals around the world, as well as manufacturing, retail and industrial companies, government agencies and the military. Our partners include wireless software developers, system integrators and international OEM partners.

About the Premier healthcare alliance, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient
Premier is a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,400 U.S. hospitals and 70,000-plus other healthcare sites using the power of collaboration to lead the transformation to high quality, cost-effective care. Owned by hospitals, health systems and other providers, Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance.