Heritage Health names Patricia Iris as next chief medical officer

Heritage Health is putting a physician executive with deep experience in rural and safety-net care at the center of its next stage of growth. Patricia Iris, MD, MPH, will become the nonprofit’s next chief medical officer, a role that can shape how quickly patients get in, how clinicians are supported and how quality is tracked across Coeur d’Alene and surrounding communities.

Iris brings more than 20 years of experience in physician leadership, quality improvement, population health, value-based care and clinical transformation. Her work has spanned hospitals, health systems, clinically integrated networks and community-based care models. Her background also includes rural Alaska, where she later pursued a Master of Public Health at the University of Washington and completed a health care quality improvement fellowship while serving as director of hospital quality.

That experience matters in Kootenai County, where Heritage Health describes itself as North Idaho’s largest provider of integrated medical, dental and behavioral health services, and the Idaho Community Health Center Association calls it the region’s premier provider. A directory listing describes Heritage Health as a community-governed nonprofit serving Coeur d’Alene and surrounding communities. In practical terms, a chief medical officer helps set medical standards, support providers and connect strategy with day-to-day care, especially in a market where patients move between Heritage Health and Kootenai Health’s 381-bed community-owned hospital in Coeur d’Alene, which serves patients across North Idaho, Eastern Washington, Montana and the Inland Northwest.

The appointment also lands as Heritage Health continues to carry a large safety-net role. Its health care for the homeless program provides continuity for uninsured, underinsured and homeless patients through an integrated HCH/CHC model. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council directory estimates a homeless population of 3,000 in the area and says the program serves about 2,500 patients, underscoring how much the organization’s work extends beyond routine primary care.

Heritage Health is also widening its footprint. In late March, Coeur d’Alene Pediatrics said it was joining Heritage Health, with the transition set to take effect May 1 after about a year of work on the change. Heritage Health CEO Mike Baker said the organization spent about a year working through the pediatrics transition, while Coeur d’Alene Pediatrics administrator Cari Warren said the move was meant to preserve access, quality and compassion. Dr. Duane Craddock said the partnership would support prevention and whole-family wellness.

For families across Kootenai County, the question is whether Iris can help Heritage Health stretch farther without letting access slip. In a fast-growing area, the pressure is not only to treat illness but also to manage chronic disease, coordinate care and keep services local so patients do not have to travel farther for routine or specialized care.