Malisha Patel, VP of Operations at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, was recognized as one of the Top 15 Business Women in Houston by the National Diversity Council (NDC) at the Houston Women’s Conference held on Sept. 20.
“I am honored to receive this recognition, especially knowing that I work every day with incredible professionals who are equally deserving,” said Patel. “I am blessed to have an amazing support system and to be in health care, where the work that we do positively impacts lives daily. It is what drives me and makes my work so rewarding.”
In her current role, Patel has operational and business development responsibility for both clinical and non-clinical departments ranging from perioperative services to engineering. Responsibilities include direction and decision-making, financial performance, compliance with regulatory agencies, patient satisfaction, productivity and the promotion of the Memorial Hermann Health System culture. She previously served as VP of Operations at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital. At Memorial Hermann Sugar Land, she oversaw a $93 million expansion project that added 60 beds, an additional medical plaza and expanded services.
In addition, she was the executive champion for Memorial Hermann Sugar Land’s “Journey to Excellence” which adopted and integrated the Baldrige framework. In November 2016, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land was recognized as a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, the highest award for performance excellence given in the country. The hospital is the first Houston area hospital to be awarded the recognition.
Prior to joining Memorial Hermann, Patel held positions with the Veterans Administration Hospital in Dallas as well as with Tenet Healthcare. She has recently been recognized by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston as its 2016 “Young Professional of the Year” and as an honorable mention for the Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2017.
The NDC is the first non-profit organization to bring together the private, public and non-profit sectors to discuss the many dimensions and benefits of a multicultural environment. The mission of the NDC is to be both a resource and an advocate for the value of diversity and inclusion.