Stephen Bekanich, MD, is a palliative medicine physician and healthcare executive with deep experience in value-based care and care delivery innovation. He is the co-founder of Iris Healthcare, a disease-specific advance care planning company that was acquired by Aledade. Following the acquisition, Dr. Bekanich served as National Vice President of Growth at Aledade, leading strategic expansion initiatives.
Prior to founding Iris, Dr. Bekanich led an accountable care organization (ACO) with more than 3,000 physicians in a clinically integrated network. He also held system leadership responsibilities at Ascension Health, overseeing case, medical, and utilization management for a hospital system and health plan.
Dr. Bekanich has created multiple palliative care programs nationwide and has held academic appointments at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the University of Utah’s Medical Center. He currently serves on the faculty at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.
He is the recipient of numerous awards for medical leadership, innovation in health care, teaching, and patient and family satisfaction. His work has been featured across medical and popular media and presented at national events.
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A good night’s sleep helps consolidate memories and improve learning, working as the brain’s personal organizer.
