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Department Wellness and Preventative Medicine
Primary Location Lyndhurst Campus
Type of Doctor Both Adults and Children & Adolescents
Languages English
Surgeon No
Locations
Primary Location

Lyndhurst Campus

Specialties & Treatments

Treatment & Services

  • Integrative Medicine
View all 1 Treatment & Services +
Insurance

Insurance

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Biography

About Robert Saper, MD

Dr. Saper joined Cleveland Clinic after serving as Director of Integrative Medicine for the Boston Medical Center Department of Family Medicine since 2004, where he founded the Program for Integrative Medicine and Health Disparities with a mission to provide evidence-based integrative health for all through clinical services, research and education. He also held positions as Professor of Family Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, Director of the Family Medicine Academic Fellowship, Department Chair of Appointments and Promotions, and Patient Experience Champion.

Dr. Saper earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1988. He went on to complete an internship and residency in family practice at San Francisco General Hospital in 1991 and served as Chief Resident in family practice at the hospital from 1991-1992. Afterward, he practiced as full-spectrum private family practice physician in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In 2001, Dr. Saper launched a three-year undertaking to retrain for an academic medical career, completing a National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded fellowship in complementary alternative medicine research and faculty development at Harvard Medical School. In 2003, he both completed the fellowship and earned his master’s degree in public health from Harvard University.

In 2004, Dr. Saper joined the Boston University faculty and medical staff of Boston Medical Center. While on staff, he participated in several NIH-funded research studies, including a pilot study of yoga for chronic low back pain in predominantly low-income minorities. Other studies he conducted include comparing the effectiveness and cost of yoga, physical therapy and education for back pain, as well as yoga for back pain in veterans. Other major areas of his research cover the safety and efficacy of traditional Indian herbal medicines. Dr. Saper has held various leadership roles for various committees at the Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, as well as for national organizations, such as the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health.

Dr. Saper’s work has appeared in over 60 peer-reviewed publications; he has participated in 200 invited presentations; and received 25 research grants. Dr. Saper has received awards and honors for his accomplishments, including Recognition for Outstanding Teaching by Harvard Medical School and the Be Exceptional Award from Boston Medical Center. In addition to his medical, academic and research accomplishments, Dr. Saper is also a certified yoga teacher.

Education & Professional Highlights

Education & Professional Highlights

Appointed
2021

Education & Fellowships

Fellowship - Harvard Medical School
Complementary Medicine Research Fellowship
Boston, MA USA
2004

Graduate School - Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts)
MPH - NOT mpa, clinical effectiveness
Boston, MA USA
2003

Residency - University of California - San Francisco
Chief Resident
San Francisco, CA USA
1992

Residency - University of California- San Francisco
Family Medicine
San Francisco, CA USA
1991

Internship - Univ of California San Francisco General Hospital
family medicine internship
San Francisco, CA USA
1989

Medical Education - Harvard Medical School
Medicine
Boston, MA USA
1988

Undergraduate - Brandeis University
Biology major
Waltham, MA USA
1983

Research & Publications

Research & Publications

See publications for Robert Saper, 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

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 7/21/2022, Dr. Saper 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.

Patient Satisfaction Reviews

31 Patient Satisfaction Reviews

The Patient Satisfaction Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related questions shown below from our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question.

Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cleveland Clinic.

Overall Star Ratings
4.9 out of 5
Explains 4.8
Courtesy, Respect & Concern 4.9
Patient Rating of Doctor 4.9

8 Patient Comments

Reviewed on Jan 18, 2023

I've already recommended Dr Saper to 3 people

Reviewed on Jan 3, 2023

Dr. Saper was very informative, attentive and professional. I will definitely recommend him!

Reviewed on Dec 27, 2022

Very good experience. Dr Saper provided many suggestions which I am following. Will revisit in one month.

Reviewed on Dec 21, 2022

I would highly recommend Dr. Robert Saper. He is an extraordinary human being. I've never had a doctor who wanted to know who I was as a person - a human being. He listens. He HEARS you. He's concerned. He truly cares. If

Reviewed on Nov 16, 2022

Extremely impressed - Dr. Saper was very thorough and thought about more than just diagnoses, labs, and medications - he asked questions about me as a person.

Reviewed on Jun 15, 2022

Dr. Saper took care of me. Thank you!

Reviewed on Jun 15, 2022

Dr. Saper and Dr. Bales are the best providers I have experienced. They take their time, they listen, they are sincere, and you don't walk out feeling like it was a waste of time.

Reviewed on Apr 20, 2022

Dr. Saper was a gem! Great bedside manner, listen to my care my concerns and very professional.

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