Daniel J. Hilferty shares insight on how data analytics can improve lives
Philadelphia, PA – At the third annual Forbes Healthcare Summit: 2014 Smart Data Transforming Lives in New York City, Independence Blue Cross (Independence) President and CEO Daniel J. Hilferty spoke yesterday about how “Big Data” can keep patients healthier.
The invitation-only conference, hosted by Forbes magazine and Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, on December 3-4, brought together a cross-section of 200 of the world’s most influential health care industry leaders — including doctors, medical professionals, academics, and executives from hospitals, pharmaceutical firms, and insurance companies — to discuss how new kinds of data and data analytics are changing patient care, leading to new treatments, and saving money.
“Independence Blue Cross is well-positioned to be a ‘Big Data’ leader,” said Hilferty. “We’re working with innovative technologies and all the key stakeholders to transform care and keep people well.”
As part of the “Health Insurance: Prescriptions for Populations” panel, Hilferty highlighted how Independence is forging innovative partnerships to transform health care in the Philadelphia region and the nation. He pointed out that Independence, together with DaVita Health Care Partners, created Tandigm Health, a groundbreaking joint venture that provides primary care physicians the analytical tools and real-time data they need to improve their patients’ health and lower costs.
Hilferty also spoke about using the power of health care data analytics to help predict — and prevent — chronic illnesses. For example, he said his company is collaborating with New York University and NYU Langone Medical Center to develop machine-learning algorithms to spot cases of undiagnosed diabetes and to predict diabetes — the No. 1 chronic illness in the Philadelphia region.
Moderated by Avik Roy, opinion editor at Forbes, the panel discussed how insurance companies use big data and health care technology to improve the health of every person an insurer covers. In addition to Hilferty, panelists were:
- David Goldhill, president and CEO of the Game Show Network; author of “Catastrophic Care”;
- Kevin Nazemi, cofounder and co-CEO of Oscar Insurance;
- Samuel Nussbaum, chief medical officer and executive vice president of Clinical Health Policy at WellPoint.
About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve nearly 9.4 million people in 25 states and the District of Columbia. For more than 75 years, we have been enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more about how we’re changing the game, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at ibx.com/facebook and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Media contact
Lisa Yoon
Independence Blue Cross
215-640-7701 (office)
Lisa.Yoon@ibx.com