Who: Dr. Drew Hertz, pediatrician.
Where: Lives in the Boulevard neighborhood, works in the
Warrensville/Van Aken district.
Business/Employer: Suburban Pediatrics, a member of the
University Hospitals Rainbow Care Network.
Professional Mission: To help children develop to their fullest
potential while helping parents enjoy parenting.
Personal Background: I have been in this practice for 18 years. I grew
up in Shaker Heights. I’m a 1983 graduate of Shaker High. My father
grew up here and also went to Shaker High. My children are thirdgeneration
Shaker Schools students. Sam graduated last year; Madeline is
a sophomore. My wife, Linda Rae, is president of Keithley Instruments.
¶ In addition to seeing patients at my Shaker location, I have an
administrative role at Rainbow as medical director of the UH Rainbow
Care Connection, one of the first pediatric accountable care organizations
in the country. I am also the medical director of the UH Rainbow Call
Center, the largest pediatric nurse advice line in the country. Another
area of expertise is pediatric tele-health – healthcare by phone and video.
What I love about my work: I love the variety. One patient can be a
newborn with a first-time mother, another can be a child having trouble
in school, and another might be a teenager who is depressed. There’s
never a dull moment. If I can help a parent feel more comfortable in
their role as a parent, and I can help the child feel more successful in life,
then I have succeeded. Pediatrics is not just focused on medicine, but
on a child’s wellness and development, their overall well-being. It is very
gratifying to help both children and adults.
On working and living in Shaker Heights: I enjoy having the
opportunity to give back to the community I grew up in, and I appreciate
the diversity of Shaker, which adds to the variety of care we provide.
After I finished my residency and Linda graduated from the
Weatherhead School of Management, we knew we wanted to stay in
Cleveland. ¶ There are many advantages to working and living in Shaker
Heights, because you are so accessible to your kids and to home. You can’t
beat the commute, you can’t beat being able to care for your neighbors
and for some of the kids who go to the same schools as your children. I
like being able to go home for lunch sometimes. When my kids were in
elementary school I could rearrange my schedule to volunteer weekly
in their classes. Linda and I sponsored a science night at Boulevard
for a number of years. There are also tax advantages to working and
living in the same city. ¶ Shaker is special because it’s an old-fashioned
neighborhood where you can ride your bikes to get ice cream, or walk to
the park, and there is a great community feel where you can be exposed
to a diverse population. We love going to Shaker Square for breakfast or
dinner, or riding bikes to Fairmount Circle. I get my hair cut at Joe Sgro’s
and we get takeout from Pearl of the Orient about once a week. SL
SHAKER LIFE | SPRING 2014 55
“If I can help a parent feel more comfortable in their role as
a parent, and I can help the child feel more successful
in life, then I have succeeded. Pediatrics is not just focused
on medicine.” – Dr. Andrew Hertz