A Trusted New Leader on the Journey to Best Outcomes

Tim Robinson, CEO, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

As chief financial officer for more than 20 years, Tim Robinson helped guide Nationwide Children’s Hospital through a period of unprecedented growth – from an important regional children’s health system to an internationally preeminent academic medical center.

When CEO Steve Allen, MD, announced his retirement in 2018, a national search began for the person who could continue to build on Nationwide Children’s institutional momentum. That search led right back to Robinson, who began as CEO on July 1, 2019.

“It should not be surprising that the nation’s leader for pediatric health care is also the top institution in the country for growing amazing talent,” said Alex Fischer, board chair of Nationwide Children’s, in announcing Robinson’s appointment. “Following a comprehensive national search, which attracted broad-based interest and conversations with the highest caliber physician and non-physician leaders in health care today, Tim was our unanimous and enthusiastic choice.”

Robinson joined Nationwide Children’s staff in 1995 as assistant treasurer. In 1997, he became senior vice president and CFO, and in 2008 was named executive vice president and chief financial and administrative officer. He is credited with building the hospital’s investment portfolio from $100 million to almost $3 billion, and leading the hospital to earn an Aa2 bond rating consistently since 2001.

But his achievements have gone far beyond the traditional definition of a CFO. Robinson led groundbreaking efforts in population health, such as Partners For Kids^SM (PFK). Now one of the country’s oldest and largest pediatric accountable care organizations, PFK grew from responsibility for 13,000 children to approximately 330,000 under Robinson’s watch. He was also a driving force behind the Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families initiative, which has become a national model for health systems to improve housing, educational opportunities and public safety in their communities.

More recently, Robinson has championed research and related technology commercialization efforts, and 13 companies have now been created based on Nationwide Children’s medical and scientific discoveries. The hospital’s scientists had 10 patents issued in 2015; in 2018, there were more than 40. 

Q&A

Q: How has Nationwide Children’s mission affected the hospital’s extraordinary growth of recent years?

A: Our mission has made it possible. We keep asking ourselves: “What can we do to improve the lives of children?” and each element of our strategic plan is part of the answer. We understand that addressing a community’s social determinants of health is critical for keeping families healthy, so with neighborhood partners we created Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families, which helped build or renovate nearly 400 homes. We know first-hand that children’s behavioral health needs are not being met, so we’ve greatly expanded our behavioral health offerings and are nearing completion of the largest center of its kind in the United States.

Our Institute for Genomic Medicine, our nationally prominent Zero Hero program to eliminate preventable patient harm, our accelerating efforts to give children access to therapies invented here – all are manifestations of our mission.

Q: What attracted you to Nationwide Children’s Hospital 25 years ago?

A: What attracted me is what continues to attract so many of the team members: our mission, vision and values. I had a non-traditional path to pediatric health care – I had been treasurer for a national shoe retailer. But when I came here, I immediately fell in love with the people and with the way everyone pulls together for the patients we serve.

Many organizations talk about mission and values, but we put ours in the foreground. We are on a Journey to Best Outcomes for all children. The best way for us to succeed is to work as One Team. Those are not just words for us. I felt those guiding principles in my first week as an employee 25 years ago, and I am honored for the opportunity to support them as CEO.

Q: What does the future hold for Nationwide Children’s?

A: Ten years ago no one would have imagined where we are today. But there is even greater opportunity ahead and some of it has already been planned. We have announced the construction of a new research building and a new simulation center for staff training. We continue our investments in population health and precision medicine. The Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion will be a hub of research and treatment.

Otherwise, we continue our Journey to Best Outcomes, and keep asking how we can best serve children. I am blessed to work with a forward-looking community, a talented leadership team and a visionary Board of Directors. I am excited to build on this foundation, and I know we have unmatched potential as a leader in research and pediatric medicine.