Ombudsman (Hospital)

What is an ombudsman?

An ombudsman is a person you can talk to when you’re not satisfied with the care you receive at a hospital. They serve as a point of contact (liaison) between you and hospital leaders.

An ombudsman will listen to your concerns and reach out to other members of the hospital staff, as needed, to learn about your experiences. After gathering more information, they’ll talk to you about your options for resolution. Sometimes, there’s no way to resolve the situation. When that happens, an ombudsman will record the experience and share it with hospital leaders so they can look for areas to improve in the future.

Ombudsman meaning

Ombudsman (pronounced ahm-budz-men) is a Swedish word that means representative. The history of the word dates back to the 1800s, when Sweden appointed a person to look into complaints against government leaders.

Since that time, the meaning of an ombudsman has expanded. Now, an ombudsman isn’t just someone who manages complaints against public officials like politicians. Many organizations — like hospitals, businesses and colleges — use an ombudsman to manage concerns that people raise. In all these settings, an ombudsman investigates complaints and works toward resolving the situation.

Other names for an ombudsman include:

• Ombuds.
• Ombudsperson.

What is the purpose of an ombudsman?

A hospital ombudsman helps resolve problems that arise when you’re receiving medical care. Specifically, they’re prepared to manage your concerns related to:

• Communication — for example, something that was said (or not said) to you that affected your care or overall experience.
• Access to information.
• Quality of care.
• How safe you felt while receiving care.
• Response times and delays in receiving care.
• Use of medications or pain management.
• Access to appointments or other services.
• Any other aspect of your care.

In healthcare, there are lots of moving parts. Even with the best of intentions, providers or staff may say or do something that falls short of your expectations. It’s important for you to know that there are processes in place to support you when this happens. Your voice doesn’t have to go unheard.

Sometimes, it’s possible to solve issues directly with the providers or staff involved. For example, let’s say you’re discharged from the hospital but feel unsure about how to care for yourself at home. Your first step might be to call your provider’s office and ask for clarification. This might resolve the issue. But if you feel like you’re not getting the responses you need, the next step might be to reach out to the ombudsman.  

Other times, it may not be possible to directly address the concern — or you might not feel comfortable doing so. For example, if you feel someone is treating you differently because of your ethnicity or sex, you may just want to leave the situation. So, you might contact the ombudsman to discuss the matter and figure out what to do next.

How do I contact a hospital ombudsman?

If you’re receiving care at a hospital, you’ll likely receive a brochure with information on its ombudsman. They may have a different name, like patient experience officer, patient representative or patient advocate. There should be a phone number for you to call, as well as a mailing address and email address where you can write. There may also be an office you can visit in-person.

If you don’t receive a brochure or don’t know how to reach an ombudsman, call the main hospital number. From there, someone can direct you to the ombudsman’s office.

What does an ombudsman do?

A hospital ombudsman serves as a neutral third party to manage concerns about your medical care. U.S. law requires that they handle the situation in a timely manner, and in most cases, you can expect a resolution within a week or two. In general, an ombudsman will:

• Talk with you about your concerns and listen carefully to understand your perspective.
• Ask for your permission to investigate the situation further.
• Contact the people involved in your care to get more information.
• Review your medical records and other documents, as needed.
• Contact you to explain the findings and discuss your options. At times, they may help you to reach a resolution.
• Document the experience to help hospital leaders find areas to improve.

An ombudsman follows this process for every person who comes to them with a concern. But working directly with people is only one part of their job. Ombuds are also responsible for creating reports to share with hospital leaders. Your name or other identifiable information won’t appear in the reports. Instead, the reports include summaries of the types of concerns people are raising and which aspects of care they’re not satisfied with.

All this information helps hospital leaders improve care for everyone. This means by sharing your concern, you’re advocating for yourself while helping others, too.

What information should I share with the ombudsman?

You can share as much or as little information as you’re comfortable with. You have a legal right to share your concerns without fear of something bad happening to you in response (like discrimination or unreasonable delays in care)?

When you contact an ombudsman, it may help to have this information ready to share:

• The date(s) when the issue occurred.
• The names of any people involved.
• What exactly happened.
• The name and date of birth of the person who received care if it wasn’t you.
• What it would take for you to feel the situation was resolved.

You can also tell the ombudsman things that went well during your encounter. For example, if a provider or staff member helped you or did something that improved your experience, don’t hesitate to share it. Calling out the positives can help hospital leaders know more about what’s working well — and what to do more of.

If you’re contacting an ombudsman on behalf of someone else, the ombudsman is required by U.S. law to speak to the person who received care. The ombudsman must get consent from the patient to look into the problems and speak about their medical information with you.

What is a long-term care ombudsman?

A long-term care ombudsman is an advocate for people receiving care in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other similar residential care centers. They also advocate for people receiving care at home (for example, from home health aides). U.S. law requires that every state and territory have an Ombudsman Program. Each program manages complaints from people receiving long-term care and their loved ones. 

If you’re receiving long-term care, you can contact your local ombudsman at any time to discuss a concern. You can also do this on behalf of a loved one. Here are some examples of issues you may choose to address:

• Any form of abuse, including verbal, physical or sexual.
• Lack of proper care, including attention to personal hygiene.
• Unsafe practices.
• Violation of an individual’s rights or personal dignity.
• Problems with related services like Medicaid or Medicare benefits.

Your ombudsman will look into the situation and explain your options for resolving it.

Besides handling individual complaints, long-term care ombudsmen do many other tasks, including:

• Teaching residents and staff about residents’ rights.
• Sharing resources with residents.
• Educating the public on long-term care options and how to choose the one that’s best for them.

Who is my local ombudsman?

To find your local ombudsman, visit the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center’s website. They offer a list of all ombudsman programs in the U.S. You can search by state to find your state and local offices.

How to become an ombudsman

There’s no single path to becoming a hospital ombudsman. People from many different backgrounds choose to pursue this role. You don’t need a specific degree. But you’ll likely be a good ombudsman if you’re good at:

• Solving problems and finding creative solutions.
• Listening without judging.
• Communicating with people from all different walks of life.

The International Ombuds Association (IOA) offers a certification called the Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP®). You can earn your certification by taking and passing a multiple-choice exam focused on ethical principles.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

An ombudsman can amplify your voice so you don’t have to feel silent or alone. They understand the complexities of healthcare and are prepared to help you respond to problems you encounter. Whether it’s a dismissive comment or a lack of clarity about treatment, the concerns you raise are valid. And hospital leaders care about making your experience better.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your ombudsman to learn your options for resolving a situation that didn’t go as expected. You deserve the best care — as well as the opportunity to be heard.