Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic Health System, one of the largest private medical centers in the world, is seeking internal applications for an Ombuds position in its Office of the Ombudsman. A bachelor's is required and three years of related experience investigating and resolving complex complaints in a medical environment is preferred. No salary or closing date indicated. (Cleveland Clinic Careers, Job Code: T26152.)

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic Health System, one of the largest private medical centers in the world, is seeking applications for an ombudsman. The ombuds office serves patients and family members with concerns about medical services at Cleveland Clinic Foundation Main Campus, Family Health Centers, and affiliates. No salalry or closing date indicated. (HealthCareSource.)

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic, Florida

The Cleveland Clinic has reopened its search for an Ombudsman Manager to be stationed in Weston, Florida. In addition to resolving patient problems, the position will provide ongoing training and support to Ombuds staff and represent the Ombudsman Department throughout the state and nationally.

Applicants should have at least "five years extensive public relations experience preferably in an Ombuds capacity in an interdisciplinary patient care setting." No salary or closing date indicated. (Cleveland Clinic Careers.)

Cleveland State University Reinstates Ombuds Program

Last week, CSU President Ronald Berkman announced that he had reinstated the university's Ombuds Office and appointed Richard F. Rakos, PhD, to fill the position. The decision came in response to student demands, but it was not clear when the university last had an Ombuds for the general campus.

Rakos has been a professor in the CSU Department of Psychology since 1992, and has been on the faculty since 1984. His research and teaching interests lie in clinical training, behavior analysis and modification, ethics and values in therapy, and psychology and the law. Rakos is especially interested in free will and determinism, and assertiveness training. He earned his BA from SUNY Stony Brook, and MA and PhD from Kent State University.  His faculty profile states that he is the 'interim' Ombuds, but also that he has been the CSU Ombuds since 2006.

As recently as September 2009, CSU had an Ombuds for the College of Graduate Studies and there is no indication whether that program will continue.  (Cleveland Stater; Rakos Faculty Profile; CSU Ombuds Office; CSU President's Newsletter.)

Related post: Cleveland State Appoints Ombuds.

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic Health System, East Region, is looking to hire a patient ombudsman. Applicants should have a bachelor's degree and 3 years of related experience. No salary or closing date indicated. (OhioJobNetwork.com.)

It is not clear whether this is the same position Cleveland Clinic advertised last October. (Ombuds Blog.)

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic Health System, one of the largest private medical centers in the world, is seeking applications for an Ombuds position in its Office of the Ombudsman. The position is similar to that of an Organizational Ombuds to the extent that it: identifies, evaluates and resolves patient complaints; Aggregates and analyzes complaint and satisfaction data; and Determines proactive recommendations and provides feedback of resolution to appropriate parties. However, the Ombuds also, "Conducts investigations for Law Department, negotiates settlements as instructed."

A bachelor's is required and three years of related experience investigating and resolving complex complaints in a medical environment is preferred. No salary or closing date indicated. (Cleveland Clinic Careers, Job Code: T2200M.)

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic, Florida

The Cleveland Clinic, one of the world's largest private medical centers, is hiring an Ombudsman Manager to be stationed in Weston, Florida. In addition to resolving patient problems, the position will provide ongoing training and support to Ombuds staff and represent the Ombudsman Department throughout the state and nationally.

Applicants should have at least "five years extensive public relations experience preferably in an Ombuds capacity in an interdisciplinary patient care setting." No salary or closing date indicated. (Cleveland Clinic Careers.)

Job Posting: Cleveland Metropolitan School District

Ohio's largest school district is hiring two Ombudsman Specialists for its Office of the Ombudsman. The primary role for these new positions is "to understand and seek to resolve concerns raised by parents and guardians of children enrolled in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District." According to its website, the CMSD Ombuds Office is "fair, impartial and confidential."

Applicants must have completed high school, familiarity with school administration, mediation and conflict resolution skills, and willingness to work a flexible schedule. College experience and fluency in Spanish are desired. The positions pay $25,000-$50,000 and applications are due October 23, 2010.  Although the district increased its budget this year, it is facing a significant shortfall next year when federal stimulus money runs out.  (CMSD Jobs, Office of the Ombudsman; Catalyst Ohio.)

Cleveland State University to Appoint Permanent Ombuds

CSU Ohio has opened an internal search for a permanent University Ombudsperson. Earlier this year, CSU President Ronald Berkman announced that he was reinstating the Ombuds Office with the appointment of psychology professor Richard F. Rakos, PhD as interim Ombuds.

The search is targeting only tenured professors and applications are being accepted through September 7. The position will report to the CSU Dean of Students. (CSU Campus Mail Bag; Tweety Jobs.)

Prior post: Cleveland State University Reinstates Ombuds Program.

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is accepting applications for an Ombuds at its South Pointe Hospital. "Through mediation and negotiation, the ombudsman ensures a positive working relationship between physicians, staff, patients, and their families in order to support and maintain the highest quality of patient standards." A bachelor's degree and 3-4 years of experience are required. No salary or closing date indicated. (Health Care Source.)

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic Florida

The Cleveland Clinic is looking to hire a health care Ombuds for its hospital in Ft. Lauderdale. Reporting to the Manager of Patient Relations, the position identifies, evaluates and resolves patient grievances/problems. Minimum five years extensive public relations experience preferably in a patient advocacy capacity in an interdisciplinary patient care setting are required. No salary or closing date indicated. (CareerBuilder.)

Job Posting: South Pointe Hospital

South Pointe, a Cleveland Clinic hospital, is hiring an Ombuds for customer relations issues. The posting states: "Through mediation and negotiation, the ombudsman ensures a positive working relationship between physicians, staff, patients, and their families in order to support and maintain the highest quality of patient standards." A Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of health care or advocacy experience (e.g. mediation, negotiation, problem resolution and program development) are required. No closing date or salary indicated. (CampusRN.)

Prior Cleveland Clinic job posts: Main Campus; East Region; Florida.

Activists Seek Ombuds for Cleveland Neighborhood Redevelopment Authority

Two community leaders have proposed amendments that would require the Tremont West Development Corp. to implement an Organizational Ombuds program. TWDC is a nonprofit citizens' group that aims to revitalize Tremont, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. The organization has found itself at the center of tensions between developers and residents. Several community activists (including a member of the TWDC Bylaws Committee) have called on the nonprofit to create an elected Ombudsman who would report to the board of directors and practice to IOA standards. A vote on the proposal has not be scheduled. (Claude Cornett's Blog; Cleveland Scene; TWDC Bylaws Committee.)

Eaton Names Ombuds Director

Eaton Corporation has named its compensation director, Ilene Butensky, to head the company's Office of the Ombuds. Butensky has worked for Eaton for 28 years in a variety of positions in human resources. Butensky holds a bachelor's degree from SUNY Albany, a master's degree in labor and industrial relations from the University of Illinois, and a juris doctor degree from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law in Ohio. (Crain's Cleveland Business; Eaton Press Release.)

(Related post Job Posting: Eaton Corp.)

Cleveland State Appoints Ombuds

Cleveland State University has named Jennifer M. Jeffers, PhD to serve as Ombuds of the College of Graduate Studies. Jeffers is a Professor of English and former Director of Graduate Studies in the English Department. She will also serve as an Associate Dean. Jeffers earned her doctorate in Comparative Literature from Emory University. Her current research is in 20th century art and literature, and the contemporary Irish novel. (CSU Campus Mail.)

Cleveland State University Names Permanent Ombuds But Fails to Allocate Resources

Engineering professor Rama Gorla, PhD, has been appointed as Ombudsperson for CSU Ohio. The announcement completes the process of restoring the the Ombuds Office promised earlier this year by CSU President Ronald Berkman. Gorla will be paid a modest stipend to assist faculty, staff and students part time, but has no budget or staff.

Gorla earned his BS from Sri Venkateswara University in Tirupati, South India, his MS from the Indian Institute of Technology, and his PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Toledo. He has been a member of the CSU faculty since 1977 and has authored hundreds of articles and book chapters, primarily on the topic of fluid dynamics.  In the first three weeks on the job, Gorla has already handled five cases. (CSU Ohio Cauldron; CSU Ohio Gorla Homepage.)

Gorla will be serving as Ombuds for a campus population of about 19,000.  Although it is laudable to see a new program, data from comparable institutions would indicate that CSU has not allocated sufficient resources.  A constituency this size could easily support one or two full-time Ombuds with a dedicated support staff person.

Prior post: Cleveland State University to Appoint Permanent Ombuds.

John Carroll University Considering Ombuds Office

According to faculty council minutes, the private, co-educational Jesuit university near Cleveland is looking at developing an Ombuds program. University President, Robert L. Niehoff, "is interested in putting together a committee to discuss the development of the position of ombudsperson on campus and would like a member of the Faculty Council to serve on the committee." The Ombudsperson Committee was approved and constituted on December 8, 2008. (JCU Faculty Council Draft Minutes.)

Class Action Lawsuit Against Eaton Cites Interaction With Ombuds

Two former employees of Eaton Corp. have filed a $150 million class action gender discrimination suit alleging that they were passed over for promotions and sexually harassed by three male supervisors. The complaint filed in NY federal court describes one interaction with Eaton's "Ombuds Department" that was generally positive:

[¶ 103] In July 2008, Manager Ferrang attempted to place a Letter of Concern in Ms. Koosha’s file related to baseless accusations about her performance dating back to 2004. Concerned about the implications of this letter for her standing with the Company, Ms. Koosha contacted the Ombuds Department at Eaton. The representative at Ombuds advised her that Manager Ferrang could not put a Letter of Concern in her file because he had not fulfilled his obligation to administer a mid-year performance review. Ms. Koosha approached HR Representative Ms. Walker with this information and informed her that she had requested the mid-year performance review on numerous occasions. Upon information and belief, Manager Ferrang did not ultimately place the Letter of Concern in Ms. Koosha’s file.

This example of visitor coaching is the only reference to the Ombuds program in the complaint. An Eaton representative said the company does not comment on pending litigation. (Cleveland Plain Dealer; Gaitane v. Eaton Corp. Compliant.)

Related posts: Eaton Names Ombuds Director; Eaton Ombuds Issues Annual Report; Eaton Ombuds to Present Program on Running a Global Office.

The Ombuds Year in Review: 2010

In the past year, IOA held its fifth annual conference, an attorney wrote the first guide for Ombuds, U.S. legislation created new federal Ombuds programs, FCO began its own training program, a campus suicide drew attention to the role of Ombuds in bullying cases, Cal Caucus resumed its annual meeting, nearly two dozen new offices opened, other Ombuds were newsworthy, certification became a reality, and several notable Ombuds passed away.

IOA Celebrates its Fifth Anniversary -- The association held its annual conference in New Orleans and nearly 300 Ombuds attended. The event was highlighted by keynote addresses from Dr. Michael Martin, André Marin, Chuck L. Howard, Prof. Sandra Stokes, and Prof. Robert C. Bordone. For the first time, non-attendees were able to follow the conference on Twitter. In addition, the conference featured the winner of IOA's first student writing competition.

ABA Publishes First Legal Guide for Organizational Ombuds -- In January, the American Bar Association released Chuck Howard's The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations-A Legal Guide. It which was quickly hailed as the first comprehensive textbook on the profession. Subsequently, Howard embarked on an ad hoc book tour with speaking engagements at: the IOA Annual Conference; East Coast Ombuds Group; Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics; California Caucus of College & University Ombuds; Ombuds of Texas; Coalition of Federal Ombuds Conference; and Princeton University.

Congress Passes Law to Create New Federal Ombuds Offices -- The sweeping reform legislation signed into law by President Obama in July will establish new Ombuds programs for the Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of the Investor Advocate, the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and for private student loan disputes. The SEC moved first to solicit public commentary and has already received feedback from many Organizational Ombuds and experts. Meanwhile, the Coalition of Federal Ombudsmen continued to collaborate with other federal agencies that were establishing Ombuds programs on their own mandates.

FCO Institute Debuts Ombuds Training -- In September, the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman Institute hosted its first ever course on Ombuds fundamentals featuring nearly two dozen Canadian Ombuds. Although intended primarily for new and intermediate-level Classical Ombuds, the two-day program is an important new resource for Organizational Ombuds as well, especially in Canada.
Correction 12/20/10:  The FCO has been offering courses since 2004. In 2010, the FCO Institute was created as an umbrella organization for training, conferences and research.

Tragedy at UVA Highlights Growing Concern Over Bullying -- One of the many stories of bullying reported in the mainstream press involved the Ombuds at the University of Virginia. In August, an editor of The Virginia Quarterly Review took his own life after complaining about workplace bullying. Although the victim allegedly contacted the UVA Ombuds shortly before his death, the Ombuds was steadfast in protecting his confidentiality. Ultimately, an internal audit found that the University took "appropriate actions" in handling the situation and reiterated that it would have had no notice of complaints heard by the Ombuds. The incident highlighted the relationship between Ombuds and bullying, which was further explored in an article for the LERA Newsletter and an entire issue of the Journal of IOA, and at meetings of the Ombuds of Texas, ENOHE-ACCUO, and the Midwest University & College Ombuds.

Cal Caucus Returns Reinvigorated-- In 2009 the California Caucus of Colleges and University Ombuds did not meet for the first time in nearly four decades due to declining attendance. After retooling, Cal Caucus returned to the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove in November 2010 with an impressive list of presenters from the U.S. and Canada.

Many New Programs Open -- Organizations established or reopened 22 Ombuds offices in 2010. Most of the good news came from the education sector: Newark NJ Public Schools; Ashford University; University of New Mexico; University of Miami School of Medicine; University of Missouri, Kansas City; John F. Kennedy University; University of Calgary; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Greenstar Cooperative Market; Ohio State University; Tyco Electronics; Washington University in St. Louis; Michigan State University; University of Ottawa; European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN); Office of Personnel Management; Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA); Algoma University; Colorado College; New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services; Amherst MA Regional Public Schools; Northwestern University; Shawnee State University; and Cleveland State University. Meanwhile, there were no reported Ombuds office closures.
Update 12/22/10: Add one more,  Washtenaw Community College.

Other Ombuds Dominate the Popular News -- For better or worse, Ombuds that made headlines in 2010 were not Organizational Ombuds, but their stories were among the most read on the Ombuds Blog: The BP Ombuds received significant attention in the wake of the gulf oil spill and was eventually slated for closure; National Public Radio will be hiring a new Ombuds; and a high profile Executive Ombuds had a dispute with a Canadian flight crew that garnered unwanted attention.

Certification Becomes a Reality -- Early in the year, the Board of Certification for Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioners Board announced the results of the first certification examination. The test has now been administered multiple times and is available to international applicants. So far, 45 Ombuds have passed the exam and certification screening and are eligible to use the CO-OP designation.

In Memoriam -- Several notable Ombuds passed away in 2010, including: Elizabeth Walsh Pino (Palmer & Dodge and McKinsey & Co.); Eugene Vasilew (Binghamton University); Milton J. Brawer (Western Michigan University); and William T. Mason III (John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory).  Their contributions to the field and to their constituencies were invaluable, and they will be missed.

Related post: The Ombuds Decade in Review.

Artificial lung mimics real organ’s design and efficiency

Case Western Reserve University
July 25, 2011

An artificial lung built by Cleveland researchers has reached efficiencies akin to the genuine organ, using air – not pure oxygen as current man-made lungs require - for the source of the essential element.

Use in humans is still years away, but for the 200 million lung disease sufferers worldwide, the device is a major step toward creating an easily portable and implantable artificial lung, said Joe Potkay, a research assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science at Case Western Reserve University. Potkay is the lead author of the paper describing the device and research, in the journal Lab on a Chip.

The scientists built the prototype device by following the natural lung’s design and tiny dimensions. The artificial lung is filled with breathable silicone rubber versions of blood vessels that branch down to a diameter less than one-fourth the diameter of human hair.

“Based on current device performance, we estimate that a unit that could be used in humans would be about 6 inches by 6 inches by 4 inches tall, or about the volume of the human lung. In addition, the device could be driven by the heart and would not require a mechanical pump,” Potkay said.

Current artificial lung systems require heavy tanks of oxygen, limiting their portability. Due to their inefficient oxygen exchange, they can be used only on patients at rest, and not while active. And, the lifetime of the system is measured in days.
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