Ketul J. Patel
President & CEO, Wellstar Health System
Ketul J. Patel serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Wellstar Health System, one of the Southeast’s largest and most respected healthcare organizations, with 11 hospitals and more than 400 care sites across two states. The $8 billion organization is supported by over 34,000 team members and a robust clinical network of more than 2,500 physicians. Patel’s leadership at Wellstar draws upon his two decades of executive experience focused on expanding access to high-quality, equitable care and advancing the health of diverse communities across the United States. Patel is recognized nationally for leading large, complex health systems through transformation in highly competitive regions while driving nationally recognized standards in quality and patient safety, operational excellence, and community partnership.
Before joining Wellstar, Patel served as CEO of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) and President of the Pacific Northwest Region of CommonSpirit Health. In this role, he oversaw 12 hospitals in Washington and Oregon, a large network of outpatient and ambulatory sites, and thousands of clinical and administrative professionals. He played a central role in the 2021 merger that brought together CHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason to form VMFH, which has since become one of Washington state’s leading integrated health systems.
Under his leadership, VMFH earned national recognition for patient safety, achieving all “A” Leapfrog Patient Safety Grades across its hospitals. Patel also launched the VMFH Care Network to support independent hospitals and health systems across Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana. In addition, he provided executive oversight of the Benaroya Research Institute, an internationally recognized leader in autoimmune disease research, and Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled nursing and outpatient chronic care program in the United States designed specifically to serve people living with HIV/AIDS.
Patel is a three-time honoree on Modern Healthcare’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare and has been recognized among the publication’s top diversity leaders. His leadership has been highlighted in national industry publications, including Modern Healthcare, HealthLeaders, and Becker’s Hospital Review. He has held leadership roles across several major healthcare organizations and has served on numerous boards, including the past Chair of the Washington State Hospital Association, co-Chair of the Greater Seattle Partners, Washington Roundtable, Challenge Seattle, and CEOs Against Cancer. He is also a former member of the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board.
Patel holds master’s degrees in health administration and business administration from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University.