Program Leadership
Eric D. Hess, MBA, CPA
Program Director
Eric D. Hess, MBA, CPA, is the Chief Operating Officer for University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. Eric’s responsibilities include setting and executing the overall strategy and overseeing business and service operations for the service line, representing heart and vascular services at 18 affiliated hospitals and over 30 outpatient locations, over 1,300 employees, 300 providers, and 18 centers of excellence. Prior to coming to University Hospitals in 2017, Eric held executive leadership roles at Children’s Hospital of Michigan (Chief Operating Officer) and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (Vice President, Operations). Eric started his career at Deloitte, spending 5 years in the Accounting & Auditing division and the next 7 years in healthcare consulting. Eric has his undergraduate degree in accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and his MBA from Central Michigan University.
Marcus Paschall, JD, MBA
Preceptor
Marcus Paschall, JD, MBA, is the Vice President of Operations for University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. In this role Marcus providers leadership and oversight of operations for UH Seidman’s 17 locations across the University Hospitals system. He is responsible for translating the vision into best practices and benchmark performance. In addition, Marcus is responsible for developing and implementing the strategic vision for UH Seidman Cancer Center. Prior to joining University Hospitals, Marcus spent nine years at the University of Chicago Medicine in a variety of operational, business development and quality leadership capacities before ultimately serving as the Executive Director of the Cancer Service Line. Marcus started his career at the University of Chicago Medicine as an Administrative Fellow. Marcus earned Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University, his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and his Bachelor of Science from Indiana University. Outside of work, Marcus enjoys spending time with his wife Barbara and daughter Maya. He is an avid sports fan, runner and restaurant explorer.
Biraj Patel, MHA
Preceptor
Biraj Patel, MHA, is the Vice President of Strategy and Planning for University Hospitals. In his current role, Biraj is responsible for business planning, market intelligence, analysis of major capital investments, and planning support for enterprise strategic initiatives. With a focus on long-term growth and system alignment, his team works closely with executive leadership to evaluate growth and optimization opportunities as well as guide critical investment decisions. Prior to joining UH in 2016, Biraj served as a healthcare consultant at Integrated Clinical Solutions and held finance and strategic planning positions at The MetroHealth System. Biraj holds a BS degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Health Administration degree from Texas A&M University. He also completed his administrative fellowship at Northside Hospital Gwinnett (Georgia). Outside of work, Biraj enjoys quality time with his wife, Abhi, and two sons, Arjun and Aman. He looks forward to weekend outings (far or near), exploring new restaurants, and a good cup of coffee to start the day.
Sara Rahmani, MS-HSM
Program Coordinator
Sara Rahmani, MS, is the Senior Administrator for the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine within the Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute. In this role, Sara manages a diverse team of physicians, advanced practice providers, and support staff while driving operational improvements, programmatic oversight, and strategic initiatives. In addition to this position, Sara also serves as the UH Administrative Fellowship Program Coordinator, where she oversees the fellowship curriculum and provides fellows with hands-on experience, guidance, and mentorship throughout their fellowship. Sara kicked off her career in healthcare management as University Hospital’s first-ever Administrative Fellow. She holds a Master of Science in Health Systems Management from Rush University and a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology from The Ohio State University. Outside of work, Sara enjoys spending time with her family, including her two boys, Jordan and Ben, and is passionate about cooking, working out, and Tik Tok.