Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Akron General encourages respect for the personal preferences and values of each individual. 

Patient Concerns: Ombudsman Office

At Cleveland Clinic, our ultimate goal is perfect service. Occasionally, however, we may fail to meet our patients' expectations. We recommend that patients first attempt to resolve a problem or concern with the department in which the problem occurred. If you don't reach a resolution with the person providing your care, we encourage you to contact the department manager or supervisor. If these attempts are unsatisfactory, contact the Ombudsman's Office and an Ombudsman will be assigned to investigate your complaint.

The Ombudsman Office is the liaison between Cleveland Clinic and the patient in resolving problems that may arise during the course of treatment. An Ombudsman has the authority to investigate complaints independent of the departments involved. The Ombudsmen report to the highest level of Cleveland Clinic leadership: the Executive Administration.

Ninety-seven percent of dissatisfied patients do not register their complaints because they do not know how or because they don't think it will do any good. However, if you call us:

  • You give us an opportunity to solve your problem, and in solving your problem, we also learn to provide better service.
  • The information you provide is communicated to top administration and is used to provide data for the annual review of physicians and departments and to propose changes.

The Ombudsman Office can help:

  • If you have a problem with medical service.
  • If you have concerns about the quality of your care.
  • If you have a problem with any of our employees.
  • If we did not provide satisfactory service during an outpatient visit or hospital stay.

If service does not meet your expectations at Cleveland Clinic, please call us locally at 330.344.6711, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday, or you can leave a message any time or email us at Akronombudsman@ccf.org.

Patient Safety

Cleveland Clinic Akron General is committed to your safety and care. We encourage you to be a patient safety advocate for yourself or loved one, whether you're being seen at the doctor's office for a cold, during an unexpected trip to the Emergency Department or when planning a scheduled surgery.

Patient safety is built on a partnership between patients, families and healthcare professionals. It is the right of every patient to be actively engaged in their care – to fully understand the treatment they are receiving and to have all of their questions answered and their concerns addressed. If you have a concern about your safety while you are or were a patient at Akron General, we encourage you to contact:

Quality Improvement Department
Cleveland Clinic Akron General
1 Akron General Avenue
Akron, OH 44307
330.344.5640

If your concerns cannot be resolved through the hospital, you can contact the Joint Commission toll-free at 800.994.6610 or via email at: complaint@jcaho.org. All communication will be held confidential, unless otherwise requested or required by law.