The Health Care Innovation Collaborative program initiated last year by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce’s CEO Council for Growth received 115 applications from people and companies with ideas to improve care and outcomes for patients with chronic disease

The collaborative, formed in May, includes area health care organizations, academic research institutions, and the investor community.

In November, the group put out a call for ideas to accelerate innovation in the delivery of treatments for those with chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. Those selected will get the ability to refine and advance their ideas while working with collaborative members.

“The [collaborative members] are pleased by the interest of innovators to work with them and become a part of a larger movement to improve the care of chronic disease,” said Rob Wonderling, chairman of the CEO Council and president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

The Collaborative’s founding members are Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Comcast(NASDAQ: CMCSA), Drexel University,Independence Blue Cross, Safeguard Scientifics Inc. (NYSE: SFE), Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, and University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Christiana Care Health System in Delaware joined the group earlier this month.

The collaborative is being co-chaired by John Fry, president of Drexel University and Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO of Independence Blue Cross.