Cincinnati Children's names Daniel Ostlie, MD, as next surgeon in chief and senior vice president

He will oversee department that performs over 40,000 operations annually

CINCINNATI, Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cincinnati Children's has named Daniel Ostlie, MD, as the health system's next surgeon in chief and senior vice president.

He will join Cincinnati Children's by June 1 and oversee the Department of Surgery. The department has nearly 1,100 employees, including more than 110 surgeons. Cincinnati Children's performs more than 40,000 operations a year focused on saving or enhancing the lives of children. 

Ostlie will report to Steve Davis, MD, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children's, as a member of the 11-person Executive Team.

"Dr. Ostlie is a highly regarded surgeon, physician leader and researcher who brings years of experience to this important role at Cincinnati Children's," Davis said. "The number of pediatric patients in our region who need surgical care continues to rise, and more families from across the country and around the world are traveling here for care." 

Ostlie succeeds Daniel von Allmen, MD, who announced last fall his intent to step down from the role of surgeon in chief and senior vice president. "Dr. von Allmen has served the patients and families of our region for more than 15 years, and we are grateful for his leadership and contributions, especially during a time of unprecedented growth," Davis said. 

Ostlie, who has been surgeon in chief and chairman of the Department of Surgery at Phoenix Children's Hospital since 2016, said he was pleased to be selected by Cincinnati Children's.  

"Cincinnati Children's incredible reputation is known throughout our country," Ostlie said. "I am honored to be joining the team – both within the Department of Surgery and throughout the organization – to support the journey to be the leader in improving child health. The commitment to safety, world-class outcomes and genuine collaboration at Cincinnati Children's is something I look forward to being part of as we continue to set the standard for excellence in pediatric healthcare." 

Cincinnati Children's is recognized as one of the best health systems in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. That includes being ranked No. 1 for cancer care, gastroenterology and GI surgery, plus pulmonology and lung surgery. 

At Phoenix Children's Hospital, Ostlie has overseen the hospital's services within all surgical divisions, including General Surgery, ENT, Dermatology, Urology, Congenital Heart Surgery, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Plastic Surgery, Gynecology, Trauma, Anesthesiology and Transplant. He also is a professor of child health and surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix. 

Ostlie's interests include chest wall abnormalities, esophageal disorders, minimally invasive surgery and neonatal surgery. He has participated in research focusing on chest wall care as well as rare pediatric surgical conditions. Ostlie has been the author or co-author of more than 230 refereed journal articles and more than a dozen book chapters, and he served as editor of the book Ashcraft's Pediatric Surgery (5^th and 6^th editions). Ostlie also is the editor of the bimonthly publication Seminars in Pediatric Surgery, and he served from 2010-17 as the pediatric editor of the Journal of Laparoscopic and Advanced Surgical Techniques. 

Before joining Phoenix Children's Hospital, Ostlie was surgeon in chief at American Family Children's Hospital in Madison, Wis., from 2012-15. He also held professor of surgery and professor of pediatrics positions at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

During his years on faculty at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City from 2003-15, Ostlie rose from staff pediatric surgeon to surgeon in chief and held numerous other leadership roles, including vice chair of the Department of Surgery and program director of both the Pediatric Surgery Residency and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. He was also a professor of surgery at the University of Missouri-Kansas City during that time. 

Ostlie received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of North Dakota in 1990 and earned a medical degree there in 1994. The following year, he completed an internship in general surgery at Los Angeles County Hospital/University of Southern California. Ostlie completed a residency in general surgery at the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale in Arizona in 2000, during which time he also spent one year as a research fellow with Cambridge University's Department of Surgery in England. He completed a pediatric surgery fellowship in 2002 and surgical critical care fellowship in 2003 at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. 

About Cincinnati Children's         
Cincinnati Children's is ranked among the best pediatric health systems in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, including No. 1 in pediatric cancer care, gastroenterology and pulmonology. Cincinnati Children's also ranks among the nation's best for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health. Established in 1883, Cincinnati Children's is a nonprofit that cares for patients from all 50 states and dozens of countries, including kids with complex or rare disorders. More information: CincinnatiChildrens.org

SOURCE Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center