I love the PACE model because it reminds me of community oriented primary care – care centered around individuals where they live.
Dr. Melissa Welch joined InnovAge in 2019 to oversee medical, dental, and pharmacy teams, as well as regional primary care teams in the eastern, central, and western regions. Dr. Welch has more than 25 years of experience leading, creating, and driving strategy in healthcare settings. Prior to joining InnovAge, she served as chief medical officer for the Center for Elders’ Independence, a PACE program in San Francisco.
Other past roles have included leadership positions with the Institute on Aging, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, and United Healthcare, where she gained additional experience leading initiatives at community healthcare systems and in skilled nursing, as well as consulting with physicians in community and academic settings, medical associations, hospitals, and more. Dr. Welch earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She also holds a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from the University of California at Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of California in Irvine.