Former President and CEO of the Memorial Hermann Health System has passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Chuck Stokes died on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, after suffering a massive heart attack. The news of his passing has left his family and loved ones shocked.
When a very dear friend wires fresh flowers to you when your world has been shattered! For my FB family that would not know, my youngest brother, Chuck Stokes passed this life last night with a sudden
massive heart attack! I am beyond devastated and
cannot make a complete sentence yet! I will communicate when The shock has worn off! Thanks for your prayers for my family – Arlene Stokes Patterson
Who Is Chuck Stokes?
Charles (Chuck) D. Stokes was a founding partner at Relia Healthcare Advisors, where he provided advisory services to healthcare leaders, governance boards, and physician administrators in the field of high-reliability practices. Chuck retired as the President and CEO of the Memorial Hermann Health System most recently. He assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer at Memorial Hermann Health System in 2008.
He was appointed President and CEO of the System in June 2017. Chuck was accountable for the leadership and supervision of the System’s network of 19 hospitals and over 290 diagnostic and specialty centers, which in the Greater Houston area had a total of over 26,000 employees and 6,300 affiliated physicians.
Chuck has nearly four decades of leadership experience in healthcare and has attained success in service line leadership, quality and patient safety improvement, leadership development, employee engagement, and physician collaboration.
Chuck worked assiduously to establish a culture of high reliability, innovation, and transformation throughout Memorial Hermann during his tenure. Memorial Hermann achieved unparalleled recognition in operational excellence, patient safety, and safe and high-quality care under his visionary leadership.
Prior to his appointment as the COO and President and CEO of Memorial Hermann, Chuck was the President of North Mississippi Medical Center, a 650-bed tertiary hospital that was the recipient of the 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Additionally, he served as the chief operating officer for three additional healthcare systems.
Chuck began his career as a critical care nurse and nurse executive before earning his master’s degree in Hospital and Healthcare Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He was also board certified in Healthcare Management as an ACHE fellow.
