Hudson County medical care just got a booster shot. The Riverside Medical Group, a longstanding purveyor of local health care, opened a new pediatric and adult health care office last week in the Paulus Hook section of Jersey City.
Located at 46 Essex St., adjacent to the light rail station, this is the twentieth location (including some pediatrics offices) for the popular provider. Like their other locations, the new office hosts an on-site laboratory and state-of-the-art equipment for comprehensive health testing and analysis. It will be open six days a week with hours until 8 p.m. weeknights.
Riverside was first established 33 years ago in Jersey City and has built a strong reputation in the area. Over the past few years they established partnerships with Hackensack University Medical Center and Palisades Medical Center to supplement their patient care.
Growing practice
Dr. Azzam Baker, CEO and president of Riverside Medical Group, immigrated to the United States in the 1970s from Jordan, where he attended medical school. After completing pediatric residency training at Jersey City Medical Center and additional training at United Hospital-UMDNJ in Newark, he opened his first pediatric practice in 1980 in Journal Square.
Over the years the practice expanded to include offices in Secaucus, Bayonne, Hackensack, Union City, North Bergen, Ridgefield Park, and two in Hoboken, with the newest office being their second in Jersey City.
“Riverside Medical Group is responsible for over 100,000 [patients].” –Dr. Omar Baker
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The Secaucus office is open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day of the year. The Union City and downtown Hoboken offices are open seven days a week and all other offices are open six days a week.
Most offices of the Riverside Medical Group are located next to a Riverside Pediatric Group location to facilitate full family care.
Family affair
Dr. Baker’s three sons, Zeyad, Iyad, and Omar, all followed in their father’s footsteps and studied pediatric medicine. All three joined him at Riverside upon completion of their pediatric residencies at area hospitals. Zeyad is Riverside Pediatric Group’s chief pediatric officer for Bergen County, seeing patients in the Secaucus office. Iyad is Riverside Medical Group’s chief medical officer, caring for adult patients in Ridgefield.
Dr. Omar Baker, Riverside’s director of clinical practices and quality control, will be taking care of pediatric patients at the new Jersey City office.
“Now our group has 25 pediatricians, 15 other doctors, and we have also three foot surgeons,” said proud father Dr. Azzam Baker. Total staff for Riverside is more than 250 employees.
“Riverside Medical Group is responsible for over 100,000 [patients] and is projected to see over 400,000 outpatient visits this year,” added his son, Dr. Omar Baker. “We hope to expand within Hudson and Bergen counties and hopefully Essex counties, and now we’re clinical partners with Hackensack University Medical Center, so we’re expanding together. We’re opening up a third and a fourth location in Hoboken. We’re hoping to open up in the 12th and Hudson location within six months or so.”
“In three to five years we hope to have over 100 primary care physicians across 50 locations,” said Omar Baker.
The family also established the Izdihar A. Baker Charitable Foundation in honor of Dr. Baker’s late wife, to provide funding for medical research (especially children’s diseases), support international scholarships, and provide cultural and religious understanding between the United States and the Middle East.
Also present for the opening were Robert C. Garrett (president and CEO at Hackensack University Medical Center) and Bruce Markowitz (president at Palisades Medical Center).
To reach the new location, call 201-360-2228.
E-mail Art Schwartz editorial@hudsonreporter.com.