COMMUNITY HEALTH: Centers Can Join On-Line Purchasing Pool

      Community HealthCenter Management magazine "has created an Internet buyers program for community health centers and rural health clinics to give them the buying clout of major hospitals," the San Francisco Business Times reports (Bole, 4/12 issue). The magazine's Web site publicizing the program reads, "The Partnership Buyer's Program allows community health centers and clinics to gain the buying power of large medical associations and hospitals. The PBP acts as your purchasing agent to secure the best prices for medical and office supplies for your center. PBP is committed to providing high-quality service to its members and to obtaining the lowest possible price on the products most used by health centers" (Web site text, 4/13). Magazine Publisher Lisa Baird said the program attempts to meet the needs of community health centers that are often unable to compete with larger systems "because of both their scale and the tight budgets they're given by local and national legislators." Clinics can sign up for the service on the magazine's Web site at www.chcm-mag.com (Business Times, 4/12 issue).