BELLEVUE, Wash. – RF Surgical, Inc., the leader in prevention and detection of retained surgical items (RSI), today announced a three year agreement with the Premier healthcare alliance, a leader in healthcare performance improvement. Under the terms of the agreement, the more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals, and 78,000 additional healthcare sites in the alliance, can select RF Surgical Detection Technology to prevent and detect RSIs from occurring in the operating room.

The RF Assure™ Detection System utilizes evidence-based radio-frequency (RF) detection technology to prevent and detect RSIs from remaining inside a patient post-surgery. It can safely, accurately and efficiently read through deep cavity tissue, fluids and bone to detect if radio frequency-tagged surgical sponges, gauze or towels remain in a patient following surgery, a dangerous and incredibly costly medical error. Through the terms of the agreement, the RF Assure Detection System will be available for purchase to members of the Premier alliance.

“RF Surgical’s relationship with Premier is further evidence of the growing value placed on the use of adjunctive technology to avoid surgical error,” said Dr. Jeffrey Port, co-founder and chairman of RF Surgical. “We are pleased to partner with Premier to make RF Assure available to a greater number of healthcare providers, continuing to work towards the goal of eliminating the incidence of RSIs in the operating room setting.”

The addition of Premier to RF Surgical’s existing GPO contract base makes the RF Surgical Detection Technology the most widely accepted RSI technology solution available to healthcare providers across the United States.

About the Premier healthcare alliance, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient

Premier is a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and 78,000-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 has worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington. http://www.premierinc.com. Stay connected with Premier on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About RF Surgical Systems, Inc.

RF Surgical Systems, Inc. is the market leader in the detection and prevention of retained surgical sponges. The RF Surgical Detection System is the preferred solution in more than 1,500 operating rooms, trauma and labor and delivery suites nationwide. Since January 2011, more than 80 hospitals and surgical centers have joined the fast-growing list of care providers using RF Surgical Technology. RF Surgical Systems is based in Bellevue, Washington with R & D facilities in San Diego, California. The advanced technologies used in the RF Surgical Detection System are protected by U.S. patents. Regulatory clearance to market the system was granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2006. The company is online at www.rfsurg.com.