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Dr. Robert John Esther, MD

Accepting New Patients

(Robert J. Esther, MD)

(245 Ratings)

Specializes in: Physician and Orthopedics/Orthopedic Surgery

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (1998)

Professional interests include: cancer, musculoskeletal problems

102 Mason Farm Road Second Floor
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

(984) 974-5700

Dr. Robert John Esther, MD is a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC specializing in physician and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery. He graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1998 and has 28 years of experience. Dr. Robert John Esther, MD is affiliated with UNC Health and UNC Hospitals.

Office Locations

102 Mason Farm Road Second Floor
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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Some issues Dr. Robert John Esther, MD can help you with:

Musculoskeletal Problems

The musculoskeletal system refers collectively to the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. It is what gives the body structure and movement. Because this system encompasses so much of the body, musculoskeletal problems are extremely varied and can happen almost anywhere. There are musculoskeletal problems that affect only the joints, those that affect the bones, those that affect tendons and ligaments, and those that can happen in any area of the body but cause pain and numbness.

Joint problems include bursitis and arthritis. Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac cushion on the outside of a joint, causing symptoms including pain and swelling. Arthritis is the inflammation and damage of a joint due to wear and tear or disease. There are several treatments for arthritis, but if the damage progresses far enough, joint replacement may be necessary. In joint replacement, a metal or plastic implant is surgically placed within the joint to make movement easier.

Bone problems include scoliosis, fractures, and osteoporosis. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine, making the normally straight spine look like a 'C' or 'S.' It is treated with braces or surgery. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to weaken and break easily. It's most common in women, especially older women. Fully half of all women over 65 have osteoporosis. Fractures are any break in the bone. They can be a simple crack or a severe and complicated shatter. Osteoporosis causes fractures in people who have it, but other causes are trauma (such as a fall) or overuse.

Tendon and ligament problems most often result from injury or overuse. Two good examples are ligament tears and tendonitis. The most common ligament tear is the ACL tear in the knee. This ligament supports and stabilizes the knee and is most often torn during sports activities. Tendonitis happens when a tendon, which connects muscles and bones together, becomes irritated and inflamed. This happens most often in older patients who push their bodies too far, leading to pain and swelling. Treatment for both tendon and ligament problems usually includes rest, ice, and supporting the area to let it heal.

Pain and numbness problems can be caused by overuse, disease, an injury, or a compressed nerve. Lower back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome are two of the most common conditions patients encounter. Lower back pain may be caused by sore muscles that have been overworked, or an injury to the disks separating the vertebrae in the spine. Lower back pain usually goes away on its own within a few days, but it may require medical treatment depending on the cause. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve at the base of the palm becomes trapped or pinched. Symptoms include tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in the hand. Treatment involves rest and sometimes steroid injections.

Because the musculoskeletal system involves so much of the body, problems here can be incredibly varied in their type and severity. Some musculoskeletal problems will go away on their own or only require rest, while others may require medication, physical therapy, or even surgery.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	183

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated as a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC during 2013 were aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	15
doctor visit	222
injections	15

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	73
Female	97

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	133
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	74
From 75 to 84	40
85 and over	16
Less than 65	40

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2013

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	25
Dementia	14
Cancer	22

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated as a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC during 2014 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	194
hospital care	25
inpatient care	25

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	76
Female	93

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	126
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	70
From 75 to 84	29
85 and over	22
Less than 65	48

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2014

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	43
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	25
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	24
Dementia	0
Cancer	23

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated as a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC during 2015 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	171
hospital care	72
inpatient care	72

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	144
Female	194

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	238
Black	68
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	136
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	116

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2015

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	46
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	31
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	33
Dementia	12
Cancer	17

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	163

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	71
Female	82

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	111
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	67
From 75 to 84	35
85 and over	17
Less than 65	34

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2016

Hypertension	72
High Cholesterol	48
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	16
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	36
Dementia	18
Cancer	17

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated as a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC during 2017 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	187
hospital care	13
inpatient care	13

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	85
Female	79

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	131
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	69
From 75 to 84	35
85 and over	18
Less than 65	42

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2017

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	32
Dementia	14
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated as a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC during 2018 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	191
hospital care	16
inpatient care	16

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	83
Female	84

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	120
Black	36
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	74
From 75 to 84	50
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2018

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	29
Dementia	17
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated as a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC during 2019 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	174
hospital care	34
inpatient care	34

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	84
Female	79

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	117
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	77
From 75 to 84	38
85 and over	14
Less than 65	34

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2019

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	28
Dementia	18
Cancer	20

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	139

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	68
Female	71

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	107
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	62
From 75 to 84	39
85 and over	20
Less than 65	18

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	30
Dementia	24
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	160

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	70
Female	85

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	113
Black	31
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	58
From 75 to 84	52
85 and over	14
Less than 65	31

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2021

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	31
Dementia	19
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	153

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	66
Female	66

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	101
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	58
From 75 to 84	49
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	20
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	17
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	33
Dementia	0
Cancer	31

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2023 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	134

2023 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	60
Female	62

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	91
Black	20
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	50
From 75 to 84	38
85 and over	11
Less than 65	23

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2023

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	29
Dementia	0
Cancer	29

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2024 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	152

2024 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	66
Female	56

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	97
Black	14
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	59
From 75 to 84	39
85 and over	13
Less than 65	11

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD in 2024

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	24
Dementia	0
Cancer	32

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2024

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated as a physician provider in Chapel Hill, NC were hospital care, inpatient care, aspiration and injections.

aspiration	15
doctor visit	171
hospital care	32
injections	15
inpatient care	32

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2024

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD.

**Gender**
Male	72
Female	80

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	13
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	114
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	34
85 and over	11
Less than 65	30
65 to 74	65

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD From 2012 - 2024

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Robert John Esther, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease and diabetes.

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	1
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	7
Osteoporosis	10
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	27
Atrial Fibrillation	13
Dementia	10
Cancer	19

Education & Training

Dr. Robert John Esther, MD graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1998. He completed residency at University of North Carolina (UNC) Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the Orthopaedic Surgery, Board Certified and has a state license in North Carolina.

Medical School: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (1998)

Residency: University of North Carolina (UNC) Affiliated Hospitals (2004)

Board Certification: Orthopaedic Surgery, Board Certified

Licensed In: North Carolina

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. Robert John Esther, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: WellCare, AmeriHealth Caritas, Aetna, Humana, Cigna, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), MedCost, UnitedHealthcare, Carolina Complete Health, Liberty Advantage, Contigo Health, Veterans Affairs, Medicare Advantage, United Healthcare, Medicaid, CHAMPVA, OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health), Centene, Group Health Plan (GHP), HealthTeam Advantage, MedCost PPO, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Group Health Plans, North Carolina State Health Plan, BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance (Blue Home with Novant Health is out of network), FirstCarolinaCare FirstMedicare Direct, Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only) (out-of-network beginning January 1, 2026), Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN+) (Tier 2), BCBSNC Group Health Plans (except for Blue High Performance Network (BlueHPN)), Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2), Atlantic Packaging Corporation, Meritain Health, an Aetna Company, Longevity Health Plan I-SNP and Veterans Affairs Community Care Network.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Robert John Esther, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

WellCare

AmeriHealth Caritas

Aetna

Humana

Cigna

BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBSNC)

MedCost

UnitedHealthcare

Carolina Complete Health

Liberty Advantage

Contigo Health

Veterans Affairs

Medicare Advantage

United Healthcare

Medicaid

CHAMPVA

OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health)

Centene

Group Health Plan (GHP)

HealthTeam Advantage

MedCost PPO

FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Group Health Plans

North Carolina State Health Plan

BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance (Blue Home with Novant Health is out of network)

FirstCarolinaCare FirstMedicare Direct

Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only) (out-of-network beginning January 1, 2026)

Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN+) (Tier 2)

BCBSNC Group Health Plans (except for Blue High Performance Network (BlueHPN))

Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2)

Atlantic Packaging Corporation

Meritain Health, an Aetna Company

Longevity Health Plan I-SNP

Veterans Affairs Community Care Network

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Robert John Esther, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.91 out of 5 stars based on 245 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Robert John Esther, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Chapel Hill, NC.

4.91

Overall Rating

(245 Ratings)

Leave a Review

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Robert John Esther, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc.	$16,190 $16,190
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.	$116 KNEES $116
LinkBio Corp	$97 $97

**Types of Payments**
Honoraria	$11,375
Travel and Lodging	$4,697
Food and Beverage	$332

Biography

Dr. Robert Esther is a specialist in physician and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery in Chapel Hill, NC. He graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and then he performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of North Carolina (UNC). Dr. Esther's areas of expertise consist of cancer and musculoskeletal problems. Patient ratings for Dr. Esther average 5.0 stars (out of 5). Dr. Esther most likely takes UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Coventry, as well as other insurance carriers. He is affiliated with UNC Hospitals. He has an open panel in Chapel Hill, NC according to UNC Health.