James Merlino, MD
Treatment & Services
- Abdominal Perineal Resection
- Advanced Polypectomy
- Anorectal Fistula Treatment
- Anorectal Surgery
- Anoscopy
- Appendectomy
- Clinical Trials
- Colectomy
- Colon And Rectal Surgical Procedures
- Colon Surgery
- Colonoscopy
- Colorectal Cancer Research
- Colorectal Surgery
- Consultation for Complicated Colon and Rectal Disease
- Fecal Diversion
- Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
- Gastrointestinal Exams
- Hemorrhoid Arterial Ligation
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- Ileoanal Pouch
- Ileoscopy
- Inherited Colon Cancer Risk Assessment
- Intestinal Stomas
- J Pouch
- Laparoscopic Abdominal Perineal Resection
- Laparoscopic Colectomy
- Laparoscopic Colon Resection
- Laparoscopic Colon Surgery
- Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery
- Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery
- Laparoscopic J-pouch Surgery
- Laparoscopic Rectopexy
- Laparoscopic Surgery
- Laparoscopic Surgery for Digestive Diseases
- Laparoscopy
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Pelvic Pouch Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis
- Polypectomy
- Postpartum Hemorrhage Surgery
- Pouchendoscopy
- Pouchoscopy
- Proctoscopy
- Rectal Cancer Surgery
- Rectal Surgery
- Rectal Ultrasound
- Rectal-Sparing Operations For Carcinoma Of The Rectum
- Rectopexy
- Rectum Reoperative Abdominopelvic Surgery
- Re-Do Rectal Surgery
- Reoperative Abdominal Surgery
- Reoperative Pelvic Surgery
- Reoperative Surgery
- Resection of Colon and Rectal Diseases
- Rubber Band Ligation Of Hemorrhoids
- Sphincter Sparing Surgery
- Sphincter Surgery
- Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy
- Strictureplasty
- Surgery
- Surgery For Carcinoma Of The Colon
- Surgery For Crohn's Disease
- Surgery for Fecal Incontinence
- Surgery for Pilonidal Cyst
- Surgery for Rectal Prolapse
- Surgery for Rectovaginal Fistula
- Surgical Endoscopy and Endoscopic Procedures
- Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM)
Specialty in Diseases & Conditions
- Anal Abscesses
- Anal Cancer
- Anal Fissures
- Anal Fistula
- Bowel Incontinence
- Cancer
- Coccydynia
- Colon Polyps
- Colonic Neoplasia
- Colorectal Cancer
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Diverticulosis
- Enterocutaneious Fistula
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis
- Fissure
- Functional Disorders
- Fundic Gland Polyps
- Genital Warts
- Hemorrhoids
- Hereditary Non Polyposis Colorectal Cancer
- Hernias
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Intestinal Fistulae
- Intestinal Ischemic Syndrome
- Intussusception
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Juvenile Polyposis
- Large Bowel Cancer
- Large Intestine Cancer
- Perianal Ulcer
- Pilonidal Cyst
- Proctitis - Care & Treatment
- Rectal Abscess
- Rectal Bleeding
- Rectal Prolapse
- Rectal Vaginal Fistula
- Small Bowel Cancer
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Ulcerative Colitis
Insurance
Is Cleveland Clinic Part of Your Insurance?
Review a list of accepted insurance plans for our Northeast Ohio locations or learn more about purchasing a contracted managed care plan.
View All PlansAbout James Merlino, MD
James Merlino, MD, Chief Clinical Transformation Officer, is responsible for helping to advance the success of Cleveland Clinic’s performance and supporting its vision to become the best place to receive care anywhere. Dr. Merlino oversees Enterprise Safety and Quality, the Office of Patient Experience and Continuous Improvement.
With over 30 years of healthcare experience, Dr. Merlino rejoined Cleveland Clinic in December 2019 following nearly five years at Press Ganey. At Press Ganey he served as President and Chief Medical Officer of the strategic consulting division since 2015, and in 2018, he took on the expanded role of Chief Transformation Officer at Press Ganey. He led the development of an integrated organizational strategy to broaden the definition of patient experience to include safe, high quality, patient centered care situated on a foundation of an aligned and engaged healthcare culture. The team grew to be recognized by Consulting Magazine as one of the top 10 fastest growing consulting organizations in the United States three years in a row, and in 2018 and 2019, Press Ganey achieved the Forbes designationas one of the “best management consulting firms.”
Dr. Merlino has led C-suite strategic sessions with more than 70 of the largest and most successful healthcare organizations in the United States, and regularly coached CEOs, C-suite leaders and healthcare boards on healthcare strategy. Prior to joining Press Ganey, Dr. Merlino served as Chief Experience Officer and Associate Chief of Staff at Cleveland Clinic, as well as a practicing staff colorectal surgeon in the Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute.
Recognized as an expert in improving the safety, quality, and patient experience, Dr. Merlino is frequently invited to speak on strategies to redefine care around the needs of the patient. In 2013, Dr. Merlino was named to HealthLeaders Magazine’s list of “20 people who make healthcare better,” and has consistently been on Becker’s list of top 50 experts in healthcare safety (including 2020). He has been widely published in academic papers, and in 2014, released his first book, “Service Fanatics: How to Build Superior Patient Experience the Cleveland Clinic Way.” He is an editor of the best-selling safety book “Zero Harm: How to Achieve Patient and Workforce Safety in Healthcare,” released in 2018.
Dr. Merlino earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baldwin-Wallace College and a medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Merlino completed his general surgery training at University Hospitals of Cleveland and his colorectal surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic.
He is married to Amy Merlino, MD, who is Cleveland Clinic’s Enterprise Chief Medical Information Officer and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
Education & Professional Highlights
Appointed
2019
Education & Fellowships
Fellowship - Cleveland Clinic
Colorectal Surgery
Cleveland,
OH USA
2005
Residency - University Hospitals of Cleveland
General Surgery
Cleveland,
OH USA
2004
Medical Education - Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Cleveland,
OH USA
1997
Undergraduate - Baldwin Wallace College
Berea,
OH USA
1991
Specialty Interests
Anorectal Disease, cancer of the colon, carcinoma of the colon, carcinoma of the rectum, carcinoma of the small bowel and large bowel, colon & anus, colon and rectal cancer, colon and rectal surgery, Colon Cancer, colonic neoplasia, Colonoscopy, Colorectal Cancer, colorectal cancer research, colorectal surgery, Crohn's Disease, diverticiulitis pelvic pouch procedures for mucosal ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis sphincter-saving operations, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, familial inherited colorectal cancer, fecal incontinence, incontinence, intestinal fistulae, intestinal stomas, inflammatory bowel disease, laparoscopic colectomy, laparoscopic colon resection, laparoscopic colon surgery, laparoscopic colorectal surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery, laparoscopy, rectal cancer, Rectal Prolapse, rectum, rectal-sparing operations for carcinoma of the rectum, reoperative abdominal and pelvic surgery, reoperative surgery, Sphincter-preservation Surgery, sphincter-saving operations, sphincter-sparing procedures, surgery for carcinoma of the colon and rectum reoperative abdominopelvic surgery, surgery for Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis, surgical treatment for mucosal ulcerative colitis, Ulcerative Colitis
Research & Publications
See publications for James Merlino, MD.
(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 10/12/2022, Dr. Merlino has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.
