Our Team

Mark F. Lemons, MD, FACEP, Chair

Anthony R. Berner, M.D, Associate Chair

Barry Tils, MD, EMS Director

David S. Huckins, MD, Research Director, Assistant Chair

Mary Chris Bailey, MD, Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Contact Information

Phone: 617-243-6040
Fax: 617-243-6924

Department of Emergency Medicine
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
2014 Washington Street
Newton, MA 02462 

About Us

As of January 17, 2007, the Department of Emergency Medicine will be located in the Maxwell Blum Emergency Pavilion at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, caring for approximately 55,000 patients each year, of which 30 percent are pediatric patients.

The facility is divided into a four bed fast-track area providing single physician coverage when operating and a 24-bed acute care area that has double physician coverage for at least 17 hours each day from 9am - 2am, seven days a week. 

Emergency Department physicians are supplemented by physician assistants specializing in pediatric and general emergency medical care 24 hours per day.

Treatment

The average waiting time for treatment is 45 minutes weekdays and 55 minutes on weekends.

Family participation is encouraged in the treatment area. However, for confidentiality purposes, only one family member at a time may accompany the patient in the treatment area. 

The patient’s visit to the Emergency Department is thoroughly documented by electronic medical record and available for fax to primary care physicians or referral specialists within 24 hours of the emergency room visit. All records and personal medical information transmission are designed to meet Federal HIPPA Regulations.

Pediatric Area

In addition, there is a separate pediatric area. The Vinik Pediatric Emergency Room  has eight private treatment rooms, separated from the general emergency areas and staffed by pediatric emergency medicine specialists. 

One of the unique aspects of the pediatric emergency room is the onsite presence of a child life specialist 40 hours per week. The child life specialist interacts with children, family members and other staff members to create a more pediatric-friendly atmosphere and better emergency room experience.  

Physician pediatric emergency medicine specialists are onsite from noon to midnight daily and augment the care provided by the general emergency medicine specialists on site 24 hours per day. Pediatric sub-specialists from the medical staffs of both Newton-Wellesley Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children are on call for specialty consultation.

Wait Times

The goal of the Emergency Department is to provide high-quality emergency medical care in an efficient and caring manner. Emergency nurses are trained in emergency medicine and emergency triage and use a modified triage system. The Emergency Severity Index (ESI) matches the acuity of illness to the resources required to evaluate and care for such patients. 

The average waiting time to treatment is 45 minutes weekdays and 55 minutes on weekends. In order to reduce waiting times, bedside registration is utilized whenever treatment bays are available. 

Department physicians and staff strive to effectively communicate with patients, families and primary care physicians. Patient service representatives are present in the department during peak hours to facilitate communication between patients and family members in the waiting room. 

Academic Training

Newton-Wellesley Hospital is an academic community hospital and participates in the clinical rotations and educational training of medical students from the Tufts University Medical School and medical residents from the Massachusetts General Hospital. The Emergency Department staff also participates in the training of paramedic students from Massachusetts Bay Community College and physician assistant students from Northeastern University.

Quality Health Initiatives

The Emergency Medicine staff participate in many quality health initiatives both within Newton-Wellesley Hospital, as well as regional and national quality initiatives sponsored by the Massachusetts Hospital Association  and the National Healthcare Quality Research Initiative. 

The department participates in the nationwide Press-Ganey patient satisfaction survey to compare our services to like hospitals in Massachusetts, and nationally. Although care in the Department is monitored by statistical and survey analysis, all emergency and hospital staff appreciate and encourage direct feedback from patients or family members about the Emergency Department’s services.