Ray Bignall, MD, Chief Diversity and Health Equity Officer
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Nationwide Children’s Hospital announced today that O. N. Ray Bignall II, MD, FAAP, FASN, has been named the hospital’s chief diversity and health equity officer.
Dr. Bignall, a pediatric nephrologist, was named assistant chief diversity and healthy equity officer in 2022, working alongside Olivia Thomas, MD, who pioneered the role of chief diversity and health equity officer, and led the hospital’s Office of Health Equity for over a decade. Dr. Thomas, after a 45-year career, will continue as an adviser through 2023 before retiring. In his new role as chief, Dr. Bignall will lead the hospital’s ongoing efforts to cultivate an inclusive and diverse workforce, and champion initiatives to improve equitable child health outcomes by addressing the social factors such as food insecurity or housing instability that can impact a child’s health, development and well-being.
“Dr. Bignall is one of the country’s most well-respected leaders in the diversity, inclusion and health equity field and we are fortunate to have him here at Nationwide Children’s Hospital,” said Tim Robinson, chief executive officer. “He is an extraordinary advocate for our patient families, a leader known for fostering an inclusive workplace, and a trusted mentor to our medical trainees. We’re excited to have him in this crucial role, building on the very strong foundation built during Dr. Thomas’ years of service.”
Dr. Bignall has positively impacted many programs at the hospital including guiding an initiative to increase the diversity of Nationwide Children’s residency program, leading this year to the most diverse resident class in the hospital’s history. He is also a nationally recognized expert on health equity issues, having served as a member of The White House’s Health Equity Roundtable, serving as the inaugural chair of the Health Care Justice Committee for the American Society of Nephrology, and giving dozens of presentations across the nation.
“As physicians and health care professionals, we must understand the challenges our patients face outside of these hospital walls. We have the opportunity to take a more active role in understanding the impact environments have on children’s health,” Dr. Bignall said. “To accomplish this, we will build a workplace that is as diverse as the communities we serve, and reflects the voices of all people across our institution.”
Dr. Bignall also serves as Director of Kidney Health Advocacy and Community Engagement (KHACE) for the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. A graduate of Howard University and Meharry Medical College, Dr. Bignall completed his residency, and clinical and research fellowships at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the American Society of Nephrology, and as a member of the Council on Medical Legislation for the National Medical Association. Dr. Bignall is a recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Award; a John E Lewy Fund Advocacy Scholar of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology; and was named a 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health by the National Minority Quality Forum and the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust.
Dr. Bignall is a proud husband, and father. His wife, Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, is the Associate Clinical Director of The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health, and a pediatric primary care psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Together, they are the proud parents of 7-month old Liam.
About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 14,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.7 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.