Just over two years after its grand opening, Independence Blue Cross has renamed its Center for Innovation to recognize its former president and CEO.

Formerly known as the Center for Innovation, the two-story, 30,000-square-foot facility has been renamed the Daniel J. Hilferty Center for Innovation. 

Hilferty, who retired from Independence at the end of 2020, served as president and CEO of Independence Health Group for a decade. His 10-year tenure as CEO followed his one year as president of Independence’s Health Markets. 

Prior to that, he spent 13 years leading AmeriHealth Caritas, Independence Health Group’s Medicaid managed care subsidiary.

Overall, Hilferty worked in various leadership positions within the organization for nearly 25 years. 

During the official unveiling of the center’s renaming, Hilferty called innovation “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.” he continued. 

Hilferty said he was honored to have his name associated with a space that he hopes will inspire new ideas and positive change for decades to come.

Gregory E. Deavens, current Independence Health Group president and CEO shared similar sentiments about the value of innovation to Independence's work. 

“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,” said Deavens. 

“Our success will depend on cultivating and sustaining an organizational culture that values and promotes innovation,” he added. 

Throughout his tenure with Independence, Hilferty was responsible for helping establish and grow its strong reputation for innovation.

Deavens praised Hilferty for “helping us be ready for the opportunities that lie ahead of us,” he said. 

In addition to helping open the Center for Innovation, other innovation-related initiatives that have been launched over the years include:

• Quil, a digital health platform in collaboration with Comcast that offers specialized and interactive health journeys to consumers and their caregivers 
• B.PHL, an annual three-day innovation celebration in Philadelphia
• Keystone Connection to Wellness, an initiative in collaboration with Project HOME and AmeriHealth Caritas which aims to address health disparities in Philadelphia 
• Civica Rx, a nonprofit developed and supported by Independence and various other Blue plans to address shortages and high prices of medications
• A five-year contract with University of Pennsylvania Health System that has resulted in a 25% cut in preventable hospital readmissions.