Alejandro Rivas, MD
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Specialty: Otolaryngology-Otology, Pediatric Otology
View Expertise -
Primary Location: 395 E Market St (30 mi.)
Other Locations - Languages Spoken: English, French, Spanish
Office Locations
UH Cleveland Medical Center Bolwell (0 mi.)
11100 Euclid Ave
Bolwell Ste 3300A
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-220-9621
UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (0 mi.)
11100 Euclid Ave
Ste 170
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-220-9621
UH Suburban Health Center (5 mi.)
1611 S Green Rd
Ste 146
South Euclid, OH 44121
216-220-9621
UH Minoff Health Center (7 mi.)
3909 Orange Pl
Ste 4100
Beachwood, OH 44122
216-220-9621
Biography: Alejandro Rivas, MD
Expertise
Titles
- Director, Cochlear Implant Program, University Hospitals
- Division Chief, Otology and Neurotology, UH Cleveland Medical Center
- Professor of Otolaryngology, CWRU School of Medicine
- Professor of Neurological Surgery, CWRU School of Medicine
- Richard W. and Patricia R. Pogue Chair in Auditory Surgery and Hearing Sciences, University Hospitals
Certifications & Memberships
- Neurotology - American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
- Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Education
Fellowship | Neurotology
Neurotology - Vanderbilt University Medical Center (2009 - 2011)
Residency | Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology - Johns Hopkins Hospital (2005 - 2009)
Internship | General Surgery
General Surgery - University Of Southern California/LAC+USC Medical Center (2004 - 2005)
Research Fellowship | Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology - Johns Hopkins Hospital (2002 - 2004)
Medical Education
Militar Nueva Granada Facultad De Medicina (2000)
About
Alejandro Rivas, MD, serves as the Division Chief of Otology and Neurotology at University Hospitals, where he is also the Director of the Cochlear Implant Program. Dr. Rivas is a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the Department of Neurological Surgery at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Most recently, he had the honor to receive the Richard W. and Patricia R. Pogue Chair in Auditory Surgery and Hearing Sciences. Dr. Rivas is a Fellow of the American Neurotology Society, American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Triological Society and the North American Skull Base Society. He is board-certified in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, as well as Otology and Neurotology.
Dr. Rivas earned his medical degree from the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, School of Medicine in his hometown of Bogotá, Colombia. He completed a research fellowship and residency in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland, and subsequently finished an ACGME-accredited Neurotology fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, where he subsequently practiced for 12 years before moving to Cleveland.
Dr. Rivas’s interests include endoscopic ear surgery, cochlear implantation, single-sided deafness, congenital malformations of the ear, ear canal atresia, bone conduction implantation, acoustic neuromas and other skull base surgeries. He is considered one of the pioneers of endoscopic ear surgery in the United States and the world. Dr Rivas has performed and taught endoscopic ear surgery and cochlear implant surgical approaches to other doctors in many countries, including Colombia, Italy, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Japan, Australia, Peru, France, Spain, and Guatemala. As an educator, he had the opportunity to host and co-direct the 2014 ACIA meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Rivas has also presented at numerous international, national and regional meetings. In addition, he serves as a reviewer for a number of academic journals, is the secretary of the Iberoamerican Cochlear Implant Group (GICCA) and is a board member of the International Working Group on Endoscopic Ear Surgery (IWGEES).
Dr. Rivas’s research endeavors on endoscopic ear surgery and hearing loss target the use of the least invasive and less morbid management options to improve auditory outcomes of hearing-impaired patients. On this subject, he has contributed more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, has edited several books, and presently serves as Associate Editor of Audiology and Neurotology.
Dr. Rivas has received multiple awards, including the Henkel Chief Resident Teacher of the Year Award in 2009, the Honor Award for distinguished service from the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation in 2018, and the Wesley Wilkerson MD Award for Clinical Excellence in 2019. In 2021, he will be inducted as member of the Collegium Oto-Rhino-Laryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum, one of the highest honors in Otolaryngology.
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Patient Experience Reviews
Excellent caring Dr and team -Spent a tremendous amount of time w me and explained things in a way I understood
Dr Rivas and his staff are the absolute bestWould not go anywhere else for audiology problems
I loved my doctor! He has always taken the time to explain everything if I've had a question. I have recommended him too many people, including where I go to have my hearing aid checked and cleaned. ( Beltone, in New Philadelphia, Ohio). She too has already given her patients Dr. Rivas cards . He's a wonderful doctor! *** Never did I feel like I was just another number.
Excellent
Everyone was Fabulous! What great office
Dr. Rivas as always was attentive and listened to my concerns. He explains alternatives. I have complete confidence in him.
Dr. Rivas is a wonderful caring doctor that make sure that you understand everything when you were in the office
I recognize and appreciate this provider's expertise, being the head of the department. He was thorough, friendly and answered my questions. I did feel however that he was not in touch with how serious of a decision this was fior me and he seemed anxious to perform what I deemed to be a very serious surgical procedure which may have little to no impact upon my symptoms. I struggle with the down time and healing process and, I neglected to ask if the proposed surgery is needed or elective. I am scheduled to get a second opinion from another neurosurgeon before making this decision. I also have other questions.
Dr. Rivas and his staff are awesome. I know I'm in good hands when I'm there.
The Dr & staff was excellent
Dr. Rivas was very thorough and communicative during my visit.
Great Experience
The experience was a good one. ***
My experience was good but I still wanted another opinion and, I wanted time to research and think about my healthcare options.
I am very grateful to Dr. Rivas for understanding my health issues and working with me to treat them properly.
Very good
All were very wonderful!
I feel very good about the experience and the doctor understands the urgency I have to complete this procedure
Excellent experience again with Dr. Rivas & Nurse Michelle. Both were very caring & sensitive to my current health issues.
I absolutely adore dr. Rivas. He is amazing compassionate and extraordinary
Very good
Everything as always was Absolutely perfect! Dr.Rivas is a Wonderful doctor!
Dr. Rivas is the best ENT that I've had ever! Since I've been six years old, I've had multiple surgeries on my left ear, with no good results until now! Dr. Rivas is so kind, caring and takes his time with you. He makes sure you understand everything he's telling you. No matter how long it would take for me to wait on him in the waiting room, he is WORTH the WAIT! I have already referred my friends to him. They agreed with what I told them about Dr. Rivas. They were very happy with him. I was looking for an ear doctor on goggle. The best one I found with all five stars was Dr.Mooney. He to is an awesome doctor. He took one look inside my ear and immediately referred me to Dr. Rivas. The rest is history! 100% satisfied!!
A very long wait with no explanation or apology given, but the appointment was very thorough and a clear plan of action was implemented.
Even one was very helpful and very kind
Dr. Rivas was very thorough with my ENT Left Ear problem. He has scheduled a CT for me. I am very thankful to have him as my ENT doctor through UH. Looking forward to working with him and his colleagues with my health issue of the left ear.
Dr. Rivas and nurses were very professional, informative, sensitive and caring.
Dr. Rivas is an excellent physician.
Dr. Rivas is a great Dr. Absolutely will share with friends and family bc he Is that good. I Am very fortunate that my family and I was able to find a great Dr like him to help my hearing bc it's been a long time since we actually got to the root. Others just pushed it off bc I was young 15-16 and they didn't want to do anything about my issue or to even figure out what the issue is and to create a solution for it. Absolutely an amazing provider and will definitely tell friends and family about how great of a Dr he is. ***
The ENT doctor has always provided me with satisfactory care and health responses.
Dr. Rivas is incredible, as is everyone at university hospitals. Thanks so much!!
Everything was excellent.
Industry Relationships
University Hospitals is committed to transparency in our interactions with industry partners, such as pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical device companies. At UH, we disclose practitioner and their family members’ ownership and intellectual property rights that are or in the process of being commercialized. In addition, we disclose payments to employed practitioners of $5,000 or more from companies with which the practitioners interact as part of their professional activities. These practitioner-industry relationships assist in developing new drugs, devices and therapies and in providing medical education aimed at improving quality of care and enhancing clinical outcomes. At the same time, UH understands that these relationships may create a conflict of interest. In providing this information, UH desires to assist patients in talking with their practitioners about industry relationships and how those relationships may impact their medical care.
UH practitioners seek advance approval for certain new industry relationships. In addition, practitioners report their industry relationships and activities, as well as those of their immediate family members, to the UH Office of Outside Interests annually. We review these reports and implement management plans, as appropriate, to address conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with medical research, clinical care and purchasing decisions.
View UH’s policy (PDF) on practitioner-industry relationships.
As of December 31, 2016, Alejandro Rivas did not disclose any Outside Relationships with Industry.