Kelly Sandberg, MD

Dr. Kelly Sandberg is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Dayton Children's. He cares for kids and teens with stomach and gut problems. Dr. Sandberg has special expertise in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and colitis, and helps teens manage symptoms, nutrition and medicines so they can feel better and stay active.

Dr. Sandberg starts by listening and meeting families where they are. He strives to be a trusted care partner, explaining each step in kid-friendly language and building a plan that fits the whole child—home, school and daily life, with support from a multidisciplinary team of nurses, dietitians, social workers, psychologists and surgeons. As a leader in the ImproveCareNow network, families can be reassured that the latest innovations and best care delivery methods are being used.

 

Awards & Honors

• Chief Medical Quality Officer, Dayton Children's ,2020 - 2025
• El-Shiekh Travel grant, 2024
• Dayton Children's Hospital Foundation Grant, 2022
• America’s Best Doctors, 2020
• ICN Innovation Grant, 2018
• Dayton Children's Collaborator in Caring, 2017
• Drucker Prize (ICN), 2016
• Distinction in Research, 2011
• Exceptional Service, 2007

 

Organizations

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College Physician Advisors
• ImproveCareNow
• Ohio State Medical Association

 

Research, Publications, Presentations & More

• Sandberg KC, Davis MM, Gebremariam A, Adler J. Increasing Hospitalizations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among Children in the United States, 1988 – 2011. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2014 Oct 20(10):1754-60. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000000195.
• Cox M, Sandberg K. Modeling Causal Relationships in Quality Improvement. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2018 Jul; 48(7): 182-185. doi: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2018.08.011. Epub 2018 Sep 11.
• Sandberg KC. Leadership in Quality Improvement. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2018 Sep 27. doi: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2018.08.007.
• Sandberg KC, Lucian JN, Stoll D, Yanney E, Mezoff A. Decreasing Door-to-Door Times for Infliximab Infusions in a Children’s Hospital Observation Unit—A Quality Improvement Initiative. Pediatric Quality and Safety. 2019 Jan;4(1):e131. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000131.
• Adler, JA, Sandberg KC, et al. Development and Testing of a New Simplified Endoscopic Mucosal Assessment for Crohn’s Disease: The SEMA-CD. Inflammatory Bowel Disease.2021 Oct;27(10): 1585-1592. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izaa307
• Moses, J, Sandberg K, et al. Clinical Practice Survey of Repeat Endoscopy in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease in North America. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2021 Jul 1;73(1):61-66. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000003100.
• Miller, Sandberg KC, et al. Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pediatric Measures as Clinical Trial Endpoints: Experience from a Multi-Center Pragmatic Trial in Children With Crohn’s Disease. J Peds. 2022 Mar; 242:86-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.10.053. Epub 2021 Nov 3.
• Joo K, Sandberg K, et al. Improving the Quality of Acute Otitis Media Care by Nurse Practitioners at a Pediatric Hospital-owned Retail Clinic. Ped Qual Safety March/April 2022; 7(2):e537. Doi 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000537
• Franciosi J, Sandberg KC, et al. North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Position Statement for Telehealth. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2023 May 1;76(5):684-694. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000003754. Epub 2023 Mar 27.
• Kappelman, MD, Sandberg, KC, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Anti-TNF in Combination with Low Dose Methotrexate vs Anti-TNF Monotherapy in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease: a Pragmatic Randomized Trial. Gastroenterology. 2023 Jul;165(1):149-161.e7. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.03.224. Epub 2023 Mar 31.
• Duarte H, et al, Sandberg KC. Diagnosis Change in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2024 Mar;78(3):623-633. doi: 10.1002/jpn3.12120. Epub 2024 Jan 11.
• Winner K, Sandberg KC, et al. A Quality Improvement Initiative to Decrease Behavioral Health Unit Readmission Rates. Pediatrics. 2025 Feb 1;155(2): e2023064917. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-064917.
• Turek G, Sandberg KC. Artificial Intelligence and Quality Improvement. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2025 Apr;55(4):101756. Doi 10.1016/j.cppedscddpeds.2025.101756 Epub 2025 Jul 11.
• Colman RJ, Sandberg KC, et al. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Nationwide Survey of Anti-TNF Practices, Attitudes, and Barriers. Crohns & ColitisColiits 360 Accepted. 2025 Jul 30. Doi: 10.1093/crocol/otaf050. Online ahead of printotak050. eCollection 2025 Jul.

For additional research, visit: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kelly-Sandberg