Ryan McDonough

Ryan McDonough, D.O., FAAP, joined Arkansas Children's from Children's Mercy in Kansas City, where he has served as a pediatric endocrinologist and medical director of the Children's Diabetes Center. Under his leadership, the center transitioned to primarily ambulatory new-onset diabetes education, a move that resulted in saving over 4,000 patient bed nights. He also played a pivotal role in managing Diabetes Clinical Practice Guidelines for both inpatient and outpatient settings and contributed to Children's Mercy achieving its highest-ever ranking of #15 in the U.S. News & World Report in 2023. 

His national leadership in diabetes care includes serving as the National Medical Lead for American Diabetes Association Camps and as a Board Member for the Diabetes Education & Camping Association. He has also been an Emerging Leader for Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet, where he co-chaired the Psychosocial Task Force, and has served as Chair of the Data Science Committee for the T1D Exchange QI Collaborative.

McDonough also played a crucial role in developing and implementing mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics, overseeing the administration of over 25,000 immunizations.

As the chief medical informatics officer, he streamlined clinical documentation, enhanced clinician efficiency in EHR usage per patient encounter, and led the transition from Oracle Cerner to Epic. He is triple board-certified in general pediatrics, pediatric endocrinology and diabetes, and clinical informatics.

He has a strong academic background, holding a professorship at the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, and is widely recognized for his contributions to research, education, and quality improvement in pediatric diabetes care. His work with national organizations, including the American Diabetes Association and the T1D Exchange, reflects his dedication to shaping the future of healthcare.