HCA Healthcare announced that it has developed a joint venture business with A Plus International, a global manufacturer of healthcare products, to expand access to personal protective equipment (PPE) by manufacturing surgical and procedure masks in the United States, according to a press release from the company.
Under the partnership, production of Level 1 and Level 3 masks meeting American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for quality and safety is expected to begin in early 2021 from a manufacturing center in Asheville, NC.
Investment in the new business entity will initially be funded equally by HCA Healthcare Mission Fund, LLC, an affiliate of HCA Healthcare, and A Plus. The HCA Healthcare Mission Fund was created following HCA Healthcare’s purchase of Mission Health to support healthcare-related businesses in Western North Carolina.
HealthTrust, which is involved in group purchasing and performance improvement, will co-manage the joint venture with A Plus. HealthTrust’s wholly owned subsidiary, Resource Optimization & Innovation, will serve as the distribution partner for the business, providing access to PPE inventories to HealthTrust member organizations throughout the United States.
