Independence Blue Cross (Independence) recently celebrated the official dedication of its Center for Innovation in honor of former president and CEO Daniel J. Hilferty.
The 30,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility is now known as the Daniel J. Hilferty Center for Innovation. It officially opened in October of 2019 within the Independence headquarters at 1901 Market Street.
Hilferty, who retired from Independence at the end of 2020, served as president and CEO of Independence Health Group for 10 years, following one year as president of Independence’s Health Markets. He led Independence Health Group’s Medicaid managed care subsidiary, AmeriHealth Caritas, for 13 years prior. Hilferty held leadership positions within the organization for almost a quarter of a century.
Hilferty helped establish and grow Independence’s strong reputation for innovation. In addition to opening the Center for Innovation, he helped the organization launch a range of innovation-related initiatives, including:
- Quil, a digital health platform established through a joint venture with Comcast
- The B.PHL Innovation Festival, an annual three-day innovation celebration in Philadelphia
- Keystone Connection to Wellness, an initiative with Project HOME and AmeriHealth Caritas to address health disparities in North Philadelphia
- Civica Rx, a nonprofit developed and supported by Independence and a number of other Blue plans to address shortages and high prices of medications
- Innovative contract with University of Pennsylvania Health System that cut preventable hospital readmissions by more than 25 percent.
“This Center and our activities are effectively a proof of concept that our brand of innovation works. And it’s going to be an important tool for us as health care and our broader society face challenges that demand our leadership. Our success will depend on cultivating and sustaining an organizational culture that values and promotes innovation. Fortunately, I believe that we’re ready as an organization to realize this vision. And we owe a great debt to Dan Hilferty for helping us be ready for the opportunities that lie ahead of us. Our innovation activities will continue to bear witness to his leadership,” said Gregory E. Deavens, Independence president and CEO.
“Innovation is the lifeblood of a thriving company and community. The Center for Innovation represents a core tenet of what has made Independence a leader in health care nationally and corporate citizenship regionally for more than 80 years. I am honored to have my name associated with a space that I hope will inspire new ideas and positive change for decades to come,” Hilferty said.
The Daniel J. Hilferty Center for Innovation is located on two floors. One floor is focused on Independence’s work with external partners such as customers, health care professionals, community leaders, and others. It has been used to run brainstorming and planning sessions, host events, and develop solutions that reflect out-of-the-box thinking to meet everyday challenges. The other floor is used to help promote and foster innovation and creativity among employees at a personal and team level.
“Innovation at Independence is represented both by our beautiful physical location and by a central position in our strategy and culture. Both of those things flourished during the decade that my friend, Dan Hilferty, was president and CEO. Congratulations to Dan for this much-deserved honor,” said Charles P. Pizzi, chair of the Independence Board of Directors.
A socially distanced event to recognize the dedication of the Center in Hilferty’s name was held in the courtyard of the Independence headquarters and within the Center on November 10.
Media Contact:
Grant Gegwich
610-909-3937
Grant.Gegwich@ibx.com
