Our History » WellLink Health Alliance

Health Alliance

1916

THE CENTER IS ESTABLISHED

The Center for Health Affairs, originally known as the Cleveland Hospital Council, is formally organized, becoming the first regional hospital association in the country. The Center opens its first office in the Anisfield Building at East Ninth Street and Lakeside Avenue.

Source: Hospitals…Catalysts for Caring/Seventy Years 1916-1986

Group Purchasing

1916

THE CENTER IS ESTABLISHED

The Center for Health Affairs, CHAMPS Group Purchasing’s non-profit parent organization originally known as the Cleveland Hospital Council, became the first regional hospital association in the country and a model for similar organizations.

Group Purchasing

1918

CLARK BECOMES PURCHASING AGENT

Complementing The Center for Health Affairs’ purpose, “to promote the efficiency of, and cooperation among the various interested hospitals to the end of better meeting the health needs of the community," Guy J. Clark developed The Center’s Cooperative Purchasing Service, one of the first such services in the nation, by building relationships between hospitals and vendors. His innovative approach to group purchasing set the stage for CHAMPS GPO, and led to state and national recognition.

Health Alliance

1941

The Cleveland Hospital Council creates a drug formulary.

The formulary becomes a helpful guide in ordering drugs by specification rather than brand name – often at a considerable savings in cost to the patient.

Source: A History of The Greater Cleveland Hospital Association 1916-1976 (pg. 9)

Health Alliance

1969

The Cleveland Hospital Council’s name is changed to the Greater Cleveland Healthcare Association or GCHA.

At this point, the name Cleveland Hospital Council no longer adequately describes the work of the Council and its members. “Cleveland” is modified to “Greater Cleveland” to recognize the many members outside the city limits. It is often referenced by its acronym, GCHA, a name that today represents the Greater Cleveland Healthcare Association, The Center for Health Affairs’ 501(c)3 under which it conducts its workforce and community initiatives.

Source: A History of The Greater Cleveland Hospital Association 1916-1976 (pg. 18)

Health Alliance

1980

The Center establishes metropolitan association purchasing services.

MAPS provides a mechanism for group purchasing directors to work cooperatively.

Source: Greater Cleveland Hospital Association Report 1980

Group Purchasing

1980

METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION PURCHASING SERVICES IS ESTABLISHED

The Center for Health Affairs established MAPS to provide a mechanism for group purchasing directors to work cooperatively.

Health Alliance

1982

GCHA broadened its name to The Center for Health Affairs / Greater Cleveland Healthcare Association.

The name change is intended to showcase growing activities and members.

Source: Hospitals…Catalysts for Caring/Seventy Years 1916-1986 (pg. 35)

Health Alliance

1982

The Center moves its headquarters to 1226 Huron Road East on Playhouse Square in Cleveland.

Group Purchasing

1992

CHAMPS ESTABLISHES RELATIONSHIP WITH PREMIER INC.

CHAMPS’ relationship with Premier Inc. began 25+ years ago when CHAMPS became one of Premier’s leading healthcare group purchasing affiliate programs. Now, as an owner of Premier, CHAMPS continues to sponsor members from both health and non-health industries, allowing them access to more than 2,500 GPO contracts, $60+ billion in purchasing volume, GPO contract management and unparalleled customer service.

Health Alliance

1996

The Center’s Community Health Council is developed.

This initiative addresses health issues in the community aimed at positioning The Center as a champion of community health.

Source: Report from the President & Chairmen 1996

Group Purchasing

1996

US FOODS & PREMIER SIGN FIRST AGREEMENT

The sole-source distribution partnership between Premier and US Foods is more than 20 years old. What it means for CHAMPS members is access to more than 350,000 national brand products; foodservice discounts of more than 15%; and reliable, on-time deliveries across the country. We work with you to implement the program, reducing and controlling foodservice costs, while maintaining and even improving the quality of your foodservice program.

Health Alliance

2003

The Center’s Northeast Ohio Emergency Preparedness initiative is established.

The Center’s Northeast Ohio Emergency Preparedness Initiative staff serve as the regional healthcare coordinator for 28 acute care hospital facilities over a five-county region including Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain Counties.

Group Purchasing

2013

PREMIER GOES PUBLIC, CHAMPS BECOMES OWNER

In the mid-2000s, CHAMPS began providing more than healthcare group purchasing by partnering with members in non-acute classes of trade. Today, WellLink serves 26,000+ member locations across the United States who represent healthcare, education, recreation, hospitality, business, industry and more.

Group Purchasing

2014

CHAMPS ADDS CAPSTONE AS AGGREGATION PARTNER

The aggregation of 500+ national agreements leverages the purchasing power of CHAMPS with national suppliers and manufacturers to negotiate better pricing tiers for members. In 2014, CHAMPS Group Purchasing and Capstone Health Alliance combined their strength in customer service and $6+ billion in GPO volume to maximize each members’ bottom line and drive supply-chain efficiencies. This unique collaboration incorporated Capstone’s acute-care expertise and contract aggregation initiatives, as well as CHAMPS’ continuum of care knowledge, non-acute volume and client service model to advance the power of supply chain for the thousands of Premier member locations they serve nationwide.

Group Purchasing

2016

CHAMPS NAMED PREMIER CERTIFIED SPONSOR

In June 2016, CHAMPS was recognized by Premier as one of their 26 Certified Sponsor Programs. This recognition denoted CHAMPS' commitment to affiliate and supplier engagement, as well as adherence to established best practices for running a successful affiliate program.

Health Alliance

2017

Housed and managed by The Center, the Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium is formed as the first physician-led hospital partnership aimed at stemming the opioid crisis. The Consortium works collaboratively to address the region’s opioid epidemic by sharing and implementing evidence-based practices, promoting policy changes, and increasing prevention efforts.

Health Alliance

2019

Brian Lane is named president and CEO of The Center. Lane succeeded Phil Mazanec, who served the organization for nearly 40 years, including as the interim president and CEO for the previous 16 months.

Health Alliance

2020

The Center’s Emergency Preparedness team activates in support of hospitals and in cooperation with public health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Group Purchasing

2022

CHAMPS surpasses 20,000 member locations milestone as it continues to establish itself as one of the top group purchasing organizations in the United States.

Health Alliance

2023

The Center announces a groundbreaking Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Innovation Hub, powered by Amazon Web Services. Using data from local and global sources, The Center's SDoH Innovation Hub first addresses the behavioral health precursors to gun violence.

Group Purchasing

2024

CHAMPS becomes Channel Partner of OMNIA Partners. Through this agreement, CHAMPS is designated OMNIA’s exclusive channel partner in a six-state region that encompasses Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Health Alliance

2024

The Center hosts the first Health Careers Summit for high school students in partnership with Greater Cleveland Career Consortium. The summit offered students hands-on experiences in high-wage, high-growth and high-demand healthcare careers, including respiratory therapy, radiology, exercise science, laboratory sciences, nursing and more.

Health Alliance

2025

The Center and CHAMPS become WellLink.

Incorporated in 1916, WellLink has a rich history as the nation’s first regional hospital association.

THE CENTER IS ESTABLISHED

THE CENTER IS ESTABLISHED

CLARK BECOMES PURCHASING AGENT

METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION PURCHASING SERVICES IS ESTABLISHED

CHAMPS ESTABLISHES RELATIONSHIP WITH PREMIER INC.

US FOODS & PREMIER SIGN FIRST AGREEMENT

PREMIER GOES PUBLIC, CHAMPS BECOMES OWNER

CHAMPS ADDS CAPSTONE AS AGGREGATION PARTNER

CHAMPS NAMED PREMIER CERTIFIED SPONSOR