Stephen R. Eckstat, D.O.’72

Eckstat was named physician leader of primary care for Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. He will provide leadership for family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, psychiatry and weight loss. He will work in collaboration with an administrative leader to manage planning and organization to ensure efficient operations, quality clinical care and excellent customer service. The position is one of seven new physician leader appointments at Mercy, forming a new integrated management structure. Eckstat has been with Mercy for the past 40 years in a variety of roles, including his internship, serving as an assistant professor of clinical medicine for the College of Osteopathic Medicine in the Evelyn Davis Community Clinic and practicing emergency medicine. He began working in family practice in 1979 and has served as a medical director at Mercy West Family Medicine since 1983. That year he co-founded Mercy Clinics along with Stephen Gleason, D.O.’74, and opened the first Mercy Clinic in Valley West Mall in West Des Moines, IA. He served as president of Mercy’s medical staff in 1990. Within his community, he serves as the president, chairman of the board and medical director for Free Clinics of Iowa and president of B’nai B’rith of Des Moines.