Steven Paul liked this
Join us in congratulating Ryan Mezinger, RPh, CPEL, Senior Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer on being named to Becker's Hospital Review's 2026 list of "Hospital and Health System Chief Pharmacy Officers to Know."
Mezinger was among several pharmacy leaders nationwide to be recognized for their work in the healthcare industry to advance patient care, improve medication access and safety and contribute to innovating their healthcare systems.
Since joining MetroHealth in 2015, Mezinger has led the significant growth and transformation of the health system's pharmacy services. During his tenure, the department expanded from roughly 50 employees and four pharmacies to a network of 12 patient‑facing pharmacies supported by more than 425 team members, along with a 25,000‑square‑foot centralized pharmacy service center that houses specialty pharmacy, prior authorization operations, home delivery and compliance packaging.
Mezinger has also overseen initiatives that have improved patient experience and operational efficiency, including adopting Epic's pharmacy software to integrate prescription tracking into a 360‑degree care model, introducing a "meds to beds" program to ensure patients leave the hospital with essential medications in hand, improving internal pharmacy capture rates to elevate the patient experience, and implementing AI‑driven tools to streamline the prior authorization process – reducing submission times and improving approval rates.
Additionally, he supported the development of MetroHealth's upcoming 24/7/365 retail pharmacy with drive‑thru service at the new Outpatient Health Center, further expanding access and convenience for patients.
Appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer in March 2024, Mezinger brings nearly two decades of retail pharmacy experience to his role. In 2024, he earned the Timothy D. Moore Pharmacy Management Award from the Ohio Society of Health‑System Pharmacy.
See the complete list of honorees by clicking the link in the comments.