Alumni Spotlights
Stephen Harrison 1997
Employer
Medical Director, St. Vincent PACE
LinkedIn Profile
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenharrisondo
1. Tell us about your journey since graduation.
Following graduation in December 1997, I married fellow GVSU
alumnus Karin Carlisle (B.A. special education/psychology, 1998). We
moved to Kirksville, MO where I attended medical school at the
Kirkville College of Osteopathic Medicine. I then completed a family
medicine residency at Genesys Regional Medical Center (now Ascension
Genesys Hospital) in Grand Blanc, MI. After about 10 years in private
practice in Grand Blanc, we moved to Fishers, Indiana. I am the
founding and current medical director of Ascension Living St. Vincent
PACE (a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) in
Indianapolis. PACE is a federal and state-funded program. It is a
comprehensive, fully integrated, provider-based health plan for the
frailest and costliest members of our society – those who require a
nursing home level of care. The PACE philosophy is centered on the
belief that it is better for frail individuals and their families to
be served in the community (not in a nursing home) whenever possible.
Although all PACE participants are all eligible for nursing home care,
94 percent continue to live safely and successfully at home.
2. Share a favorite Grand Valley memory.
I always enjoyed the luxury of being able to visit often with my
uncle, Norman TenBrink, who was a long-time faculty member in the
geology department, and who's office was just a few steps away from my
living center (Weed). He was an amazing person and a gifted educator!
3. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
My undergraduate advisor suggested that I check out osteopathic
(D.O.) medical schools in addition to allopathic (M.D.) schools. This
ultimately changed the trajectory of my career and I am proud to be an osteopath!
4. List three words you would use to describe your Grand
Valley experience.
Foundational, personal, and home.
5. What difference would you like to make in the world?
I hope that the legacy I leave behind is a thriving PACE program
that will serve the frail and underserved elderly population of
northern Indianapolis and surrounding communities for many years to
come, and that St. Vincent PACE will continue to provide its patients
with the highest level of comprehensive care that they have ever
received. I strive every day not only to provide each patient with
excellent medical care, but also to place a high priority on our
patients' autonomy, dignity, comfort and joy in life.
November 2024
Interest Area(s)
Biomedical Sciences
Categories
Honors College
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