Robert Phillips
Executive Advisor and Lecturer in Healthcare Management
Dr. Robert Phillips is a transformational healthcare leader and educator with an extensive record of improving quality, safety, clinical care, academic productivity, and financial performance at several major healthcare institutions across the United States. He is a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and a professor of cardiology at Houston Methodist Academic Institute.
At Rice, he created “Leading Healthcare Through Disruptive Transformation,” an innovative, case-based course that immerses students in real-world scenarios, preparing them to navigate and implement high-impact change across the healthcare value chain. His teaching focuses on analyzing why some healthcare organizations and corporations succeed while others struggle and fail, helping students develop practical insights for success.
Throughout the course, students participate in frequent in-class group exercises and scenario analyses that require teamwork, creative problem-solving, and the immediate application of new ideas. The curriculum explores contemporary disruptors—such as artificial intelligence, consumer-driven care models, and vertical integration—and challenges students to develop practical solutions to healthcare’s most pressing issues. Dr. Phillips fosters an environment where academic rigor is paired with energy and humor, creating a dynamic and memorable learning experience.
Before joining Rice, Dr. Phillips served as Executive Vice President and Chief Physician Executive at Houston Methodist, where his collaborative, data-driven, and transparent leadership helped propel the institution to national prominence in quality, safety, and financial success. As president and CEO of the physician organization, he quadrupled the number of care sites to over 200, tripled revenue to more than $750 million, and increased patient satisfaction to the 98th percentile.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Phillips held professorships at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York University School of Medicine, and UMass Chan Medical School, where he consistently achieved significant improvements in healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and financial performance. With over 180 publications, his work demonstrates a strong commitment to enhancing system performance and healthcare results while boosting institutional financial success.
His distinctions include the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award for his leadership of the Houston Methodist Physician Organization, Press Ganey’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his innovations in optimizing the patient experience, and appointment to the American Heart Association’s Houston Board.
Dr. Phillips looks forward to another year at Rice—sharing experience, inspiring bold ideas, and, if lucky, delivering a few jokes that land as well as his most instructive case.