Independence Blue Cross (IBX) has announced the recipients of its 2025 Clinical Care Innovation (CCI) Grants. These grants are designed to support local health systems in their efforts to improve health care. The two health systems receiving this year’s grants are Main Line Health and Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic.
“This year’s grants support two powerful projects that are focused on dedicated social support and individualized interventions for patients with heart failure. They both represent an innovation in health care delivery and help ensure that patients have the resources and guidance they need to thrive, regardless of their social circumstances or health challenges. It’s exciting to see our colleagues at Main Line Health and Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic working on these promising projects. I look forward to seeing all the great progress they make,” said Dr. Rodrigo Cerdá, senior vice president of Health Services and chief medical officer at Independence Blue Cross.
The two projects being supported by IBX’s 2025 CCI Grants include:
- “Social Work Support for Holistic Heart Failure Care that Improves Symptom Control and Reduces Acute Care Utilization,” led by John Clark, DO, medical director of Main Line Health’s Cardiovascular Genetics Program and Associate Program Director of their Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship; and Jonathan Arend, MD, Medical Director for Primary Care and Population Health of Main Line HealthCare Physician Network. This project aims to make care for heart failure more patient-centered and less expensive for a greater portion of patients. To help achieve this goal, they will be adding a social worker to the heart failure practice. The social worker will focus on supporting the implementation of Guideline-directed medical therapy by addressing social determinants of health barriers, development of advance care plans, and engagement with palliative care services.
- “HF-PUMPED: Heart Failure Power Team Aims to Transform Care Management for HF Patients and their Caregivers,” led by Cheryl Jackson, RPh, MD, FACP, medical director of Primary Care at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic Medical Group. This project aims to provide hyper-focused interventions to patients who are living with heart failure. The interventions, which are carried out by an interdisciplinary care team, will form the basis of individualized care plans that consider the unique needs of each patient that respect cultural dietary practices, provide better symptom control, reduce hospitalizations, and improve quality of life. The goals are to improve patients’ understanding of health information, increase their participation in care with primary care providers and cardiologists, and address inequities in health care for all enrolled patients.
Health systems and large specialty groups in the IBX network that are currently enrolled in a value-based care program are eligible to participate in the CCI Grants process. Each entity is permitted up to three submissions a year. For more information, visit the CCI Grants website on ibx.com.
Media contact:
Diana Quattrone
215-815-7828 (cell)
Diana-Quattrone@ibx.com
