Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit academic medical center and integrated hospital system headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. It combines patient care with physician education and biomedical research, operating through a network of hospitals, outpatient facilities, specialty institutes, laboratories, and international locations. The organization is especially associated with highly complex and specialized care, including cardiology and cardiac surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, cancer treatment, digestive disease, transplantation, orthopedics, and vascular medicine. The institution was established in 1921 by four physicians—George W. Crile, Frank E. Bunts, William E. Lower, and John Phillips—who sought to create a coordinated medical organization in which physicians from different specialties worked together. That model helped distinguish Cleveland Clinic from more conventional physician practices and became central to its later identity as a multidisciplinary system. The organization developed around the principle that clinical practice, research, and education should reinforce one another. Its main campus is located in Cleveland, where the system maintains major clinical, research, and educational facilities, including the Lerner Research Institute and Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. The brand also extends across northern and central Ohio through hospitals and outpatient sites, including facilities added or strengthened through affiliations, acquisitions, and mergers. Expansion has allowed Cleveland Clinic to bring its clinical protocols, specialty expertise, technology, and referral infrastructure to additional communities while also increasing its regional scale. Cleveland Clinic has built a national reputation through tertiary and quaternary care, outcomes-focused clinical programs, second opinions, telemedicine, and health information publishing. Its public-facing Health Essentials and health-library content form part of a broader effort to provide medical education and support patient decision-making. Marketing has emphasized clinical expertise, authentic patient and caregiver experiences, distinctive specialty programs, and the idea of a consistent care experience across locations. The system expanded beyond Ohio through Cleveland Clinic Florida and international operations, including Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It has also participated in technology commercialization and research partnerships, including ventures based on discoveries from its laboratories. Unlike an investor-owned hospital chain, Cleveland Clinic is organized as a nonprofit institution and is not publicly traded. Its scale and visibility have made it a prominent healthcare brand, but it has also become a target of political criticism, most notably a 2025 advertising campaign by Consumers’ Research concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion, gender-affirming care, and environmental policies. Cleveland Clinic rejected the campaign’s allegations and described them as inaccurate.

Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by surgeons George W. Crile, Frank E. Bunts, William E. Lower, and John Phillips. The founders aimed to organize medical care around collaboration among specialties rather than around isolated individual practices. Their model placed patient care, medical education, and research within a common institution, creating the basis for the multidisciplinary structure that remains central to the brand. The organization developed in Cleveland as a referral center for patients requiring advanced surgical and medical treatment. Its early identity was shaped by the founders’ surgical work and by the belief that systematic investigation could improve clinical practice. Over time, Cleveland Clinic broadened beyond its original surgical emphasis, establishing major programs in cardiovascular medicine, cancer, neurology, digestive disease, transplantation, orthopedics, and other fields. Research became institutionalized through the Lerner Research Institute, while medical education became part of the system’s long-term mission through graduate training and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. During the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Cleveland Clinic increasingly operated as a regional health system rather than solely as a single hospital campus. It added hospitals, outpatient centers, physician practices, and affiliate relationships throughout Ohio. The organization’s growth strategy combined clinical integration with geographic expansion: local hospitals could gain access to specialty expertise, technology, capital planning, and recruitment, while Cleveland Clinic gained a larger referral and service network. Akron General joined the system in 2015, and Union Hospital later became part of the organization’s southern Ohio expansion. The brand also expanded outside Ohio. Cleveland Clinic Florida developed into a multi-hospital regional platform, and the system entered the international market through Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. These operations extended the institution’s model of specialty care and academic medicine beyond its original American base. Cleveland Clinic has also supported commercialization of research discoveries and the creation of companies based on laboratory technology, demonstrating that its activities extend beyond direct hospital operations. Marketing and communications have been important to the system’s national positioning. Campaigns such as “Unadorned Facts” used simple line illustrations and concise claims to differentiate Cleveland Clinic from conventional hospital advertising. The later “For Every Care In The World” campaign used real patients and caregivers to emphasize empathy, authenticity, and the breadth of services. The organization has supplemented advertising with search-oriented health articles, social media, podcasts, earned media, online health information, and disease-specific campaigns designed to reach patients who may travel for specialty treatment. Cleveland Clinic’s prominence has also generated public controversy. In February 2025, Consumers’ Research launched the “Cleveland Clinic Exposed” campaign, criticizing the system’s DEI programs, gender-affirming-care policies, and climate-related work. Cleveland Clinic publicly rejected the claims, stating that the campaign was inaccurate and that its care is delivered according to ethical and legal standards. The dispute illustrates the reputational pressures facing large healthcare institutions whose clinical, employment, public-health, and environmental policies attract political attention. Cleveland Clinic remains an active nonprofit academic health system with a principal base in Cleveland, a broad United States network, and international operations.

1. 2025Cleveland Clinic Exposed campaign draws a public response

   Consumers’ Research launches a political advertising campaign against Cleveland Clinic, which responds by disputing its allegations.

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2. 2021Florida hospital acquisitions close

   Martin Health and Indian River Medical Center become part of Cleveland Clinic, expanding its southeast Florida footprint.

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3. 2020Agreement to acquire Mercy Medical Center

   Cleveland Clinic signs an agreement to acquire Mercy Medical Center from the Sisters of Charity Health System.

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4. 2017Union Hospital expansion is announced

   Cleveland Clinic and Union Hospital announce plans for Union to become part of the Cleveland Clinic system, expanding the network in southern Ohio.

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5. 2015Akron General joins Cleveland Clinic

   The Akron General system becomes part of Cleveland Clinic, strengthening the organization’s presence in northeast Ohio.

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6. 1921Cleveland Clinic is founded

   George W. Crile, Frank E. Bunts, William E. Lower, and John Phillips establish Cleveland Clinic as a coordinated medical organization combining care, research, and education.

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A nonprofit, physician-led academic health system positioned around multidisciplinary expertise, complex-care outcomes, research, education, and integrated care across regional and international locations.

• Specialty medical and surgical careHealthcare services1921

  Cleveland Clinic provides advanced inpatient and outpatient treatment across numerous specialties, with particular emphasis on complex cases requiring multidisciplinary assessment, specialist referral, surgery, intensive care, or coordinated long-term management.

• Cardiovascular careSpecialty care

  Cardiology, cardiac surgery, vascular medicine, and related diagnostic and interventional services are among Cleveland Clinic’s most prominent clinical offerings. Care spans prevention, imaging, medical treatment, catheter-based procedures, surgery, rehabilitation, and second opinions.

• Cancer careSpecialty care

  The health system provides cancer screening, diagnosis, surgery, radiation, systemic therapies, blood and marrow services, clinical trials, and supportive care through an integrated oncology program.

• Health information and virtual careDigital healthcare

  Cleveland Clinic offers online health information, patient education, virtual visits, and second-opinion services. Its digital publishing helps explain diseases, treatments, prevention, and recovery while supporting the system’s national patient-acquisition and engagement strategy.

• 2025Cleveland Clinic Exposed

  United States

  Consumers’ Research used television advertising, a campaign website, and mobile billboards to accuse Cleveland Clinic of prioritizing political positions over patient care, focusing on DEI, gender-affirming care, and environmental activism.

  Outcome. Cleveland Clinic publicly rejected the allegations and characterized the campaign as inaccurate.

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• 2020For Every Care In The World

  United States

  This campaign featured real patients and caregivers to present Cleveland Clinic’s care as authentic, compassionate, and broad in scope. A related prostate-cancer effort highlighted treatment options and second opinions.

  Outcome. The campaigns received Healthcare Advertising Awards recognition, including gold and silver awards, and were reported to improve message recall and awareness.

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• 2011Unadorned Facts

  United States

  A national and local brand-building campaign used bright colors, simple line drawings, and concise statements to communicate distinctive facts about Cleveland Clinic’s care and differentiate it from conventional hospital advertising.

  Outcome. The campaign continued in local markets and was described as a distinctive platform for emphasizing clinical strengths.

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• 2025Respond to political advertising allegationsOther

  Consumers’ Research launched a public campaign accusing Cleveland Clinic of placing political priorities ahead of patient care.

  What changed. Cleveland Clinic issued a public rebuttal, denied discriminatory care practices, and disputed claims concerning services for minors.

  Aftermath. The dispute became a public reputational controversy involving healthcare policy, DEI, gender-affirming care, and climate activism.

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• 2021Expand through Florida hospital acquisitionsM&A

  Cleveland Clinic sought greater scale and continuity of care in southeast Florida through agreements with Martin Health and Indian River Medical Center.

  What changed. The two systems formally joined Cleveland Clinic after regulatory review and integration planning.

  Aftermath. The transactions broadened Cleveland Clinic Florida’s hospital, physician, and outpatient footprint.

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• 2015Integrate Akron General into the systemM&A

  Akron General was already an affiliate, but full integration offered broader organizational resources while giving Cleveland Clinic a larger presence in the Akron market.

  What changed. Cleveland Clinic absorbed Akron General into its hospital network.

  Aftermath. The transaction expanded access to capital, technology, services, and physician recruitment for the Akron organization.

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• 2025Consumers’ Research allegations and advertising campaignControversy

  A conservative nonprofit’s campaign alleged that Cleveland Clinic’s social and environmental policies displaced its patient-care mission and made claims about race-based care and gender-affirming treatment. Cleveland Clinic denied the allegations, said it does not provide gender-affirming surgeries to patients under 18, and described the advertising as containing inaccuracies and lies.

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• 2021Cleveland Clinic expands its Florida network through Martin Health and Indian River Medical Center

  Martin Health and Indian River Medical Center formally joined Cleveland Clinic, broadening the system’s presence in southeast Florida while retaining existing services and physician relationships during integration.

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• 2021Cleveland Clinic acquires Mercy Medical Center

  Mercy Medical Center in Canton, Ohio, joined Cleveland Clinic after an agreement with the Sisters of Charity Health System. The hospital retained its Catholic identity and continued serving its local market.

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• 2015Cleveland Clinic completes expansion through Akron General merger

  Akron General became part of the Cleveland Clinic system, extending the organization’s reach into Summit County and providing access to broader capital, technology, services, and physician recruitment resources.

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1. Cleveland Clinic
2. Cleveland Clinic disputes campaign calling it 'wokest hospital in America'
3. Conservative group launches ad campaign criticizing Cleveland Clinic’s DEI initiatives
4. Cleveland Clinic’s award-winning ad campaigns center on authenticity and compassion
5. Cleveland Clinic ‘Unadorned Facts’ ad campaign
6. Cleveland Clinic expands through Martin Health and Indian River Medical Center
7. Akron General joins Cleveland Clinic
8. Union Hospital expansion is announced
9. Agreement to acquire Mercy Medical Center