Marc Roberts, M.D.

Caring for patients for three generations, Marc Roberts, M.D., operates two busy pediatric practices staffed with three Board Certified Pediatricians who provide a model of consistency and continuity for families in Newark, New Jersey. Dr. Roberts attributes this longevity to word of mouth by satisfied parents and caregivers who seek health care services for their children among familiar personnel and facilities in easily accessible locations. Dr. Roberts focuses on continuity of care to ensure his patients see the same doctors, which establishes a relationship of confidence and trust.

Along with Dr. Luis Garay and Dr. Erica Van Putten, Dr. Roberts breaks down barriers to health care by eliminating doctor turnover, providing bilingual staff and offering walk-in appointments at the Broad Street location and the Kids Care Primary Care Practice on North 13th Street. "This creates accessibility for our patients, so they visit when they are sick and when they need preventive care or they come in for well-care visits. We see patients from newborns to age 21 and deliver a full range of services. We offer onsite blood drawing and, through a special arrangement with Columbus Hospital, a taxi service transports children who need X-Rays, a stat blood test or to be admitted to the hospital. Once our patients arrive in the office, they do not need to seek services elsewhere," commented Dr. Roberts.

A staff of 14 health care professionals encourages parents and caregivers to seek primary care for their children from Dr. Roberts rather than rely on hospital emergency rooms for non-emergent care. "We are very conscientious about telling our patients to come in for services," noted Dr Roberts. "We follow-up with them right there in the office and our patients respond well to that method of follow-up. Our patients can see any of us during office hours or reach us afterhours."

The biggest problem Dr. Roberts' patients face is asthma. Dr. Roberts handles and treats asthma cases very aggressively, "Our patients who have asthma are challenged by environmental concerns or substandard living conditions. We try very hard to educate the parents and to make sure their children are on the right medication and take their medicine as prescribed. A child may be seen in the morning and need to be admitted to the hospital that evening. We refer patients who do not comply or those with severe asthma to pulmonary specialists."

Interested in the wellbeing of his patients, Dr. Roberts watches for problems found in urban and immigrant settings. For example, many of the children treated had elevated lead levels, necessitating two or three children each year being admitted to the hospital for lead treatment. In addition, Dr. Roberts sees several cases of tuberculosis each year, resulting from people who are moving into the area from different countries. About 85 to 90 percent of the patients seen have Medicaid and the remaining patients are treated through private health insurance or without health coverage.

In another role, Dr. Roberts serves as the Director of Pediatrics at Columbus Hospital. Dr. Roberts' excellent relationship with Columbus Hospital also benefits his patients who have an immediate resource for medicine and treatment, depending on what is wrong with the child. Dr. Roberts added, "Practicing in Newark for many years, I have a great rapport with many of the specialists and, if the child needs an X-ray, CT scan or ultrasound, we can get it done right away. Columbus is one of the few hospitals that has a pediatric radiologist and this allows us to get accurate readings. Columbus has a world famous pediatric ophthalmologist and specialists for pulmonary, neurology, gastroenterology for in patient care. With a full-time neonatologist, Columbus is an excellent community hospital where all children can obtain 24-hour pediatric coverage."

When the Hospital Center at Orange, NJ closed, Dr. Roberts responded by filling a need to re-establish a pediatric presence there. Dr. Roberts has been dedicated to building and growing a third practice in Orange with doctors rotating there and a nurse practitioner onsite three times a week. WIC services have also been added in the Orange office.

As a visible presence in the community, Dr. Roberts often conducts children's health fairs and speaks to children in Newark Public schools. "Our practice expands thanks to continuing generations returning for pediatric care. We may have treated many of the grandparents and parents of our current patients during our 24 years of existence," concluded Dr. Roberts.