Medical Director of Behavioral Health, Included Health
Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi is a board-certified psychiatrist and medical director at Included Health, a leading virtual care provider. She treats patients and leads the company’s behavioral health practice, focusing on patient experience, practice management, clinician recruitment, clinical support, and business development. Dr. Benders-Hadi was Doctor On Demand’s first employed psychiatrist in 2016, but has since grown into a leadership position, overseeing the company’s entire behavioral practice. Dr. Benders-Hadi is dedicated to reducing mental health stigma and providing high-quality treatment in order to help patients maintain a high quality of life. Her research and writing has focused on women's mental health issues, and patient-centered and recovery-focused treatment programs.
Prior to joining Doctor On Demand in 2016, Dr. Benders-Hadi served as Chief of Psychiatry at Rockland Psychiatric Center, New York State’s largest psychiatric hospital, with 13 outpatient clinics in seven counties and 11 residential programs in four counties.
Dr. Benders-Hadi earned her BA in public health from Johns Hopkins University and completed her medical degree and residency training at New York University School of Medicine, after which she completed a fellowship in Public Psychiatry at Columbia University.