Heritage Health names new chief medical officer

COEUR d’ALENE — Heritage Health announced that Patricia Iris, MD, MPH, will join the organization as its next chief medical officer.

Iris brings more than 20 years of experience in physician leadership, quality improvement, population health, value-based care and clinical transformation. Her career has included leadership roles across hospitals, health systems, clinically integrated networks and community-based care models.

“Heritage Health has always been about people,” said Mike Baker, CEO of Heritage Health. “We take care of families, we show up for our neighbors and we keep working to make care better for the communities we serve. Dr. Iris understands that mission. She brings the experience, heart and steady leadership we need as we continue growing, and we believe she is the right person to help us carry this work forward.”

Most recently, she served as medical director for Banner Network Southern Arizona and executive sponsor for pediatric clinically integrated networks within Banner Health. Her work has included physician engagement, value-based care strategy, quality improvement, Medicaid and Medicare performance programs, population health and physician governance.

Iris also served in senior leadership roles at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital, Navvis Healthcare and the Hawaii Medical Services Organization, Carondelet Health Network and Ascension Health’s West Ministry, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Asante Health System.

“Healthcare can feel hard to navigate, especially for people and families already carrying a lot,” Baker said. “Our job is to make that easier. We want people to feel seen when they walk through our doors. We want them to know they have a team beside them. Dr. Iris shares that commitment, and her leadership will help us keep building the kind of care our community deserves.”

Iris earned her Doctor of Medicine from Texas A and M University Health Sciences Center and completed her pediatric residency at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center. She also holds a Master of Public Health in Health Services from the University of Washington and completed a Health Care Quality Improvement Fellowship through Intermountain Health Care.