Hartford Hospital President named Becker’s ‘CEO to Know’

The annual list by the medical trade magazine recognizes 101 executives considered industry trailblazers for their dedication to optimizing healthcare through research and patient experience.

“Academic medical centers are vital to today’s healthcare delivery system. They are devoted to providing superior care to patients while simultaneously amassing assets that will further research and innovation in the healthcare field,” the Becker’s announcement reads.

Patel, who also serves as a senior vice president at Hartford HealthCare, joined the system in 2009 as a project management executive. Through the years, he advanced to executive leadership positions, playing a major role in developing Hartford Hospital’s 20-year master plan; overseeing hundreds of thousands of square feet in physical upgrades, including a 50,000-square-foot expansion in Hartford Hospital’s intensive care and operating room space; supervising systemwide services such as pharmacy, radiology and laboratory; and partnering with physicians to expand service offerings.

As president of the 867-bed Hartford Hospital – which has more than 7,000 colleagues and 2,800 medical staff – Patel oversees a complex matrix organization and academic infrastructure, striving to deliver consistently innovative care, research and education. Hartford Hospital is a major teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

Quality and safety are always top priorities for Patel. Under his leadership, Hartford Hospital recently received national awards for exceptional care, including a four-star rating from CMS; an A grade for safety from the Leapfrog Group; recognition as one of the World’s Best Hospitals and America’s Best Maternity Hospitals from Newsweek; and was ranked in the top 5% nationwide for outpatient joint replacement from Healthgrades.

“I am humbled to be included in this list of hospital leaders. I find it incredibly rewarding to work with providers and colleagues to help people in communities served by Hartford Hospital. Knowing we are guiding future generations of care providers through our training programs also means our commitment makes a difference every day,” Patel says. “The true reward is recognizing our 7,000 team members who continuously collaborate to make Hartford Hospital exceptional.”

To view the entire Becker’s list, go to https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/lists/101-academic-medical-center-ceos-to-know-2023.html.