Independence Blue Cross has awarded two Clinical Care Innovation Grants (CCI Grants) to Temple Health and Penn Medicine to support projects aimed at improving the quality and delivery of healthcare. The two projects awarded CCI Grants include:

• “Advancing Colorectal Cancer Equity through Systematic Screening (ACCESS)” led by Dr. Claire Raab, President and CEO of Temple Faculty Physicians, and Dr. Rishabh Khatri, Internal Medicine Chief Resident at Temple Health. This project aims to make it easier for people to get colorectal cancer screening by offering yearly stool based FIT tests. Specifically, it is focused on offering FIT tests in additional locations beyond a primary care doctor’s office like inpatient settings, specialty clinics, and community locations. The relationships established through this FIT testing project will be leveraged to then encourage patients to obtain other cancer screening.
• “Translating Group Care to the Preconception Period to Improve Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes” led by Dr. Anuja Dokras, Executive Director of the Women’s Health Center for Clinical Innovation at Penn Medicine. This project focuses on a novel virtual care model that is designed to improve physical and emotional health for people with infertility who are trying to get pregnant. The individuals will continue to engage with the model throughout their pregnancy to optimize health and improve both maternal and neonatal outcomes.

These grants are part of a larger Clinical Care Innovation Program at Independence.

“Through this program, we support providers who are leading the way with powerful approaches to care,” said Dr. Rodrigo Cerdá, Senior Vice President of Health Services and Chief Medical Officer at Independence. “These are approaches that are intended to improve health outcomes, break down barriers to care, and drive increased cost efficiency in the system.”

To date, Independence has awarded 18 Clinical Care Innovation Grants valued at more than $3 million to five health systems and large specialty groups.

Learn more about Independence Blue Cross and how innovation has been at its core since its founding 85 years ago.