Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Malisha Patel, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Hermann Southwest and Sugar Land Hospitals
Feb 25, 2026
Malisha Patel, SVP and CEO of Memorial Hermann Southwest and Sugar Land Hospitals, leads operations across two acute-care sites and drives digital transformation. She discusses Epic implementation and optimization. She outlines workforce development, benefits and pipelines. She talks about navigating policy headwinds, expanding community partnerships, and building AI governance for responsible innovation.
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MultiYear Epic Rollout And Optimization
- Malisha led a multi-year Epic implementation and emphasized that the real work began well before go-live.
- She described cross-functional councils, extensive planning, and post-go-live optimization that improved patient access to records and care coordination.
Include Frontline Stakeholders From Day One
- Do involve frontline stakeholders early and create focused workgroups for areas like patient access, perioperative and med-surg.
- Malisha recommended site visits, attending Epic UGM, and mirroring structures that worked at peer organizations to reduce risk.
Human Capital Strategy Underpins Growth
- A human capital strategy is central to sustainable growth and operational stability amid rising costs and policy headwinds.
- Memorial Hermann focuses on career coaching, tuition support, internal promotion, and external pipeline partnerships to retain staff.