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Dr. Derek Robinson Joins Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as Chief Medical Officer

Will help lead the company’s efforts to expand access to care and improve health equity for more than 8.5 million health plan members

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) welcomes Derek J. Robinson MD, MBA, FACEP, CHCQM as vice president and chief medical officer. In this role, he will provide clinical leadership and strategic oversight to help BCBSIL expand access to quality cost-effective health care to as many people as possible in Illinois.

Dr. Robinson previously served as vice president, Enterprise Quality and Accreditation at Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) where he led quality improvement operations. He serves as the first chair of HCSC’s Health Equity Steering Committee, a team dedicated to executing the company’s health equity strategy – work that he will continue to lead in his new role with BCBSIL, a division of HCSC.

"Dr. Robinson’s leadership will help BCBSIL deliver on our commitment to improve health equity and help our members achieve better health outcomes," says Maurice Smith, president, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “His wealth of experience in health policy and innovation will be a welcome addition to the Illinois plan."

Before joining HCSC, Dr. Robinson was the first physician member of the executive leadership team at the Illinois Health and Hospital Association where he led efforts to improve health care quality and safety for patients across Illinois. Dr. Robinson previously served as the region five chief medical officer for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

"Ensuring that our members are able to achieve their best possible state of health involves many stakeholders including their families, physicians, community leaders, and policy makers" said Robinson. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with these and other important stakeholders across the state of Illinois to support solutions that address the social determinants, leverage important care delivery innovations and expand access to quality, cost-effective health care."

A practicing emergency medicine physician, Dr. Robinson is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and a diplomat of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. He holds degrees from Xavier University of Louisiana, Howard University College of Medicine, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.



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