CareCam Health Systems (CCHS), a vHealth technology firm offering a chronic care management software platform designed to promote patient adherence to prescribed therapy and seamless coordinated care, announced a strategic collaboration with the Independence Blue Cross Center for Health Care Innovation.

As part of the collaboration, Independence Blue Cross (Independence) will work with CCHS on the development of several programmes intended to improve the care of people with chronic health conditions and has become a minority investor in the company.

"Today, half of all American adults have at least one chronic disease, and this is only going to get worse as the population ages," said CareCam Health's CEO Hal F. Rosenbluth. "CareCam Health Systems is well positioned to offer a new level of patient engagement that has yet to be realised in today's health care environment. We are excited to bring Independence on board as a strategic partner to help us provide health care consumers, health plans, and physicians with new tools to improve health outcomes and reduce medical costs."

CCHS has built a comprehensive vHealth patient-driven software solution that combines the power of behavioural science, mobile technology smartphones and tablets and video to enable scalable, successful chronic care management. CCHS drives improved health outcomes for health plan members, and reduced health plan costs across all books of business (including Commercial, Managed Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Administrative Services, and public and private exchange members).

CareCam's software empowers patients in a unique way, offering a convenient 24/7 mobile "partner in health" to support them every day. Some key features of the platform include offering pre-populated and customisable care management plans incorporating specific activities with configurable alerts that trigger when important activities are missed or when their health is trending in the wrong direction. These alerts can be directed to the patient, their loved ones, care managers or their physician. The CCHS platform also contains condition-specific educational content and supports the patient in developing and sustaining better health behaviours. CCHS's vHealth solution integrates video in unique ways to improve member engagement and adherence, more effectively teach members about their condition, and drive better clinical outcomes.

CCHS' mission is to help people struggling with chronic illness to become more empowered, skilled, and confident in effectively managing their own condition while also connecting them with their broader care team for timely support and intervention when necessary.

Launched in February 2014, the Independence Blue Cross Center for Health Care Innovation is home to the company's widening range of innovation initiatives, including strategic investments in startups and venture funds, national research partnerships with leading universities, a regional task force on health care innovation, and its support of DreamIt Health Philadelphia, the region's first health care business accelerator. A 5,000 square foot facility, the Center hosts Independence's associates and external partners as they innovate, collaborate, and implement path-finding new concepts in health care.