Name: SUMMIT | 2025 Innovation – Think Big, Start Small, Move Fast
Start: 2025-10-09T08:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-10-10T15:00:00-05:00

Think Big, Start Small, Move Fast

October 9 – 10, 2025

SI Innovation Summit and Site Visit
Hosted by Houston Methodist, Houston, TX

Co-Sponsored by Deloitte and Ambience

MAKE AN IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE INNOVATION

Healthcare innovation leaders are at the forefront of dynamic change in the healthcare industry. Join Chief Innovation Officers, Chief Transformation Officers, Digital Officers, IT Leadership, Clinical Operations Leaders, and forward-thinking executives to explore strategies that encourage innovation to thrive at leading health systems while balancing the realities of practical implementation of cutting-edge technology that transforms care delivery and workforce engagement.

What to Expect

Leading health-system executives ready to share insights into the complexities of digital innovation, smart hospital implementation, and technology adoption across diverse healthcare settings.
Expert facilitators with the aim to weave lessons learned and active dialogue to arm leaders with practical, implementable solutions to guide your organization in embracing transformative innovation.
An opportunity to be at the forefront of shaping the future of smart, connected healthcare and preparing for the challenges ahead in digital transformation.

Overview

Through dynamic and collaborative sessions, we’ll dive deep into the most pressing topics for innovation executives including:

Smart hospitals & Connected Care: Exploring opportunities for workforce evolution, enhanced patient experience, and measurable outcomes beyond technology hype
AI-Powered Clinical Decision Support and virtual nursing models
Managing Innovation Across the Enterprise
The Journey from Innovation to Operations: Implementing sustainable, high-quality care solutions

Exclusive Site Visits
This Summit offers two exclusive site visits to enhance hands-on learning experiences:

Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Tour (Day 1): Explore smart hospital innovation at this state-of-the-art facility, which opened earlier this year. Discover how cutting-edge infrastructure and advanced technology are transforming patient care.
Houston Methodist Center of Innovation Center Tour (Day 2): Experience how Houston Methodist is transforming the healthcare journey through cutting-edge innovation and technology. This exclusive tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Houston Methodist Virtual Command Center—the hub of virtual care—featuring Virtual Nursing, Virtual Monitoring, the Virtual ICU, remote patient monitoring, and more. Further explore how the Center for Innovation operates as a living laboratory, where emerging technologies are piloted, scaled, and integrated into real-world clinical environments. Gain valuable insight into how a system-wide culture of innovation is driving measurable improvements in care delivery, patient experience, and operational performance.This event is eligible for ACHE Qualified Education Hours toward initial certification or recertification of the Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) designation. Learn more ››

Publications and Materials

Agenda

Thursday – Oct 9 | Friday – Oct 10

Thursday, October 9

	Summit/ Site Visit Location: Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital 24500 Northwest Fwy, Cypress, TX 77429
7:00 am 8:00 am	Travel to Cypress Hospital
8:00 am 8:30 am	Continental Breakfast
8:30 am 9:00 am	Welcome Janet Guptill, FACHE, CPHIMS, President & CEO; Ishmeet Kaur Kumar, MHA, VP Executive Engagement & Programming Nick Desai, MD, VP, COO, Chief Medical and Quality Officer, Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital and Murat Uralkan, Director of Innovation, Houston Methodist Center for InnovationIntroductions & Objectives of the Summit –Moderators: Bill Fera, MD, Principal, Deloitte, and William H. Morris, MD, MBA, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare	Janet Guptill, FACHE, CPHIMS President and CEO, Scottsdale Institute Janet Guptill is President and CEO of the Scottsdale Institute, a non-profit membership organization of leading health systems focused on transformational change leveraging information technology. In this role she brings a unique perspective of leveraging information technology to make better... Guptill Ishmeet Kaur Kumar, MHA VP Executive Engagement & Programming, Scottsdale Institute kumar S. Nicholas Desai, DPM, MBA, FACFAS COO, Chief Medical and Quality Officer, Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital S. Nicholas Desai, DPM, MBA, FACFAS is the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer at Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital. He is also a practicing physician in the Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group in Houston, Texas. Dr.... Desai Murat Uralkan, MHA Director of Innovation, Houston Methodist Center for Innovation Murat Uralkan serves as the Director of Innovation at Houston Methodist Center for Innovation (CFI). Guided by a passion for transforming healthcare through technology, he oversees the strategic initiatives and operations of the Tech Hub, a living laboratory for digital... Bill Fera, MD Principal, Deloitte LLC Dr. Fera is a Principal at Deloitte LLC. Bill is the leader of Deloitte’s Health Care Gen AI leader, advising clients in Gen AI and AI strategies that put patients at the center of the health care ecosystem. He is... William H. Morris, MD, MBA, FACP Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare
9:00 am 10:30 am	Cypress Hospital Guided Tour (Smart Hospital of the Future)
10:30 am 10:45 am	Break
10:45 am 11:45 am	Topic 1: Smart Hospital of the Future: Redefining Care Through Virtual Nursing Discussion Host(s): Caroline Mascarenhas,DNP, RN, NEA-BC, VP/CNO, Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Questions to consider: Workforce: What does the nursing workforce of the future look like in a hybrid model and how can we prepare and support nurses in virtual roles? What new skills and training are needed for virtual nursing? In what ways can virtual nursing improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes, and how should health systems measure its success? How should we measure ROI for virtual nursing programs? How are smart hospital investments reshaping care delivery models to address workforce shortages while maintaining or improving quality of care? Patient Perspective: How does virtual nursing enhance or change the patient experience from admission to discharge? What concerns or opportunities does it create for patients? What challenges (technical, regulatory, cultural) must be overcome for sustainable implementation? What are key organizational readiness factors that determine whether digital innovations will scale successfully or become expensive pilot programs?	Caroline Mascarenhas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC VP/CNO, Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital
12:00 pm 1:00 pm	Lunch
1:00 pm 2:15 pm	Topic 2: Redefining Care Journey Through Ambient Voice and AI Discussion Host(s):Abigail Baldwin Medsker, MBA MSN RN Senior Director, Emerging Digital Programs, Health Informatics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Questions to consider: How can rethinking the entire care journey from pre charting to follow up using ambient technologies unlock new operational efficiencies and elevate patient outcomes? What measurable impacts do ambient AI solutions have on clinician and provider time, cognitive load, patient engagement and overall care quality? How can automation and intelligent documentation enhance the clinical experience without compromising empathy and human connection? In what ways are audit ready documentation, real-time compliance nudges, and AI powered workflows reducing errors and closing care gaps while minimizing provider burden? What does successful implementation look like across diverse settings? What metrics should be tracked to assess adoption, ROI, and sustained impact? How can health systems ensure consistent, scalable deployment of ambient voice technologies across departments, specialties and care settings?	Abigail Baldwin Medsker, MBA, MSN, RN Senior Director, Quality Optimization & Innovation, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Abigail has been instrumental in launching innovative virtual care programs, deploying AI-powered solutions, and establishing governance frameworks to ensure the responsible use of AI in oncology. Abi currently oversees a team focused on spearheading initiatives to improve quality care delivery, expand... Medsker
2:15 pm 2:30 pm	Break
2:30 pm 3:45 pm	Topic 3: Business Model Innovation for Connected Care Discussion Host: Suresh Balu, MS, MBA, Director for Duke Institute for Health Innovation and Associate Dean, Innovation and Partnership School of Medicine, Duke Health Questions to consider: Build vs. Buy in Digital Health Infrastructure: how should innovation teams decide between building proprietary platforms vs integrating with existing digital ecosystem? What criteria (speed to market, data ownership, scalability, etc.) should guide this decision? Enabling Business Models with Agentic AI and Digital Tools: How can emerging technologies like agentic AI shift value propositions in connected care? What new services, experiences, or efficiencies can they unlock? What are key enablers to move from siloed connected devices to truly interoperable, integrated care ecosystems? What new types of partnerships (e.g., cross-sector alliances, public-private models, platform cooperatives) are needed to accelerate the development and deployment of scalable connected care solutions? What needs to “be true” for connected care innovations to deliver sustainable value and ROI? How should innovation leaders define and measure success in this emerging landscape?	Suresh Balu, MS, MBA Associate Dean for Innovation and Partnership, Duke Institute for Health Innovation Balu
3:45 pm 4:00 pm	Wrap-up, Conclusions and Next Steps Moderators: Bill Fera, MD, Principal, Deloitte, and William H. Morris, MD, MBA, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare
4:00 pm 5:45 pm	Group Travel Return to Houston Hilton Hotel
6:00 pm	Welcome Dinner and Reception Location: Hilton Houston Plaza/Medical District 6633 Travis St, Houston, TX 77030

Friday, October 10

	Summit/Site Visit Location: Hilton Houston Plaza/Medical District, 6633 Travis St. Houston, TX 77030 Register for the Site Visit: Open House Registration While you are not required to stay for the full duration, we kindly ask that you register above if you plan to attend any portion of the event. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
8:00 am	Continental Breakfast
8:15 am 8:30 am	Welcome – Janet Guptill, FACHE, CPHIMS, President & CEO, and Ishmeet Kaur Kumar, MHA, VP Executive Engagement & Programming Day One Recap – Moderator: Bill Fera, MD, Principal, Deloitte, and William H. Morris, MD, MBA, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare	Janet Guptill, FACHE, CPHIMS President and CEO, Scottsdale Institute Janet Guptill is President and CEO of the Scottsdale Institute, a non-profit membership organization of leading health systems focused on transformational change leveraging information technology. In this role she brings a unique perspective of leveraging information technology to make better... Guptill Ishmeet Kaur Kumar, MHA VP Executive Engagement & Programming, Scottsdale Institute kumar Bill Fera, MD Principal, Deloitte LLC Dr. Fera is a Principal at Deloitte LLC. Bill is the leader of Deloitte’s Health Care Gen AI leader, advising clients in Gen AI and AI strategies that put patients at the center of the health care ecosystem. He is... William H. Morris, MD, MBA, FACP Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare
8:30 am 9:45 am	Topic 4: Smart vs. Traditional Hospitals: Proving Value Beyond Technology Hype Discussion Host: Murat Uralkan, Director of Innovation, Houston Methodist Center for Innovation Questions to consider: Where is digital innovation headed in hospital infrastructure – and what differentiates a “Smart Hospital” from well-equipped Traditional Hospital today? What measurable outcomes define success for smart hospital initatives beyond traditional ROI metrics? How are leading systems quantifying improvements in patient experience, clinical outcomes, and operational efficiency? Given current economic constraints, which digital investments deliver the fastest time-to-value while building foundation for future capabilities? Which smart hospital technologies have demonstrated consistent impact when deployed across diverse settings (academic centers, community hospitals, rural facilities, and ambulatory networks)? Pragmatic Innovation: Where should health systems focus their next wave of digital investments to achieve both immediate operational improvements and long-term competitive advantage? How can innovation leaders build sustainable funding models for continuous technology evolution while managing legacy system integration challenges?	Murat Uralkan, MHA Director of Innovation, Houston Methodist Center for Innovation Murat Uralkan serves as the Director of Innovation at Houston Methodist Center for Innovation (CFI). Guided by a passion for transforming healthcare through technology, he oversees the strategic initiatives and operations of the Tech Hub, a living laboratory for digital...
9:45 am 10:00 am	Wrap-up, Round Robin Best Takeaways, Transition to Site Visit Janet Guptill, FACHE, CPHIMS, President & CEO, and Ishmeet Kaur Kumar, MHA, VP Executive Engagement & Programming, Scottsdale Institute; Moderator(s): Bill Fera, MD, Principal, Deloitte, and William H. Morris, MD, MBA, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare
10:00 am 3:00 pm	Site Visit: Houston Methodist Hospital – Open House 6565 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030 Attendees will tour the Center for Innovation at Houston Methodist and explore the heart of the system’s virtual care strategy, the Houston Methodist Virtual Command Center. This state-of-the-art hub integrates Virtual Nursing, Virtual Monitoring, the Virtual ICU, remote patient monitoring, and more. Explore how the Center for Innovation functions as a living laboratory, where emerging technologies are piloted, scaled, and seamlessly integrated into real-world clinical settings. Gain strategic insight into how Houston Methodist’s enterprise-wide culture of innovation is delivering measurable improvements in care delivery, patient experience, and operational efficiency.
3:00 pm	Departures

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SUMMIT | 2025 Innovation – Think Big, Start Small, Move Fast

October 9, 2025, 8:00 am - October 10, 2025, 3:00 pm CDT

Think Big, Start Small, Move Fast

MAKE AN IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE INNOVATION

What to Expect

Overview

Publications and Materials

Agenda

Janet Guptill, FACHE, CPHIMS

President and CEO, Scottsdale Institute

Ishmeet Kaur Kumar, MHA

VP Executive Engagement & Programming, Scottsdale Institute

S. Nicholas Desai, DPM, MBA, FACFAS

COO, Chief Medical and Quality Officer, Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital

Murat Uralkan, MHA

Director of Innovation, Houston Methodist Center for Innovation

Bill Fera, MD

Principal, Deloitte LLC

William H. Morris, MD, MBA, FACP

Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare

Caroline Mascarenhas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC

VP/CNO, Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital

Abigail Baldwin Medsker, MBA, MSN, RN

Senior Director, Quality Optimization & Innovation, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Suresh Balu, MS, MBA

Associate Dean for Innovation and Partnership, Duke Institute for Health Innovation