Intensive Care Medicine

Dennis J. Beer, MD, Co-Director, Intensive Care Unit
Newton-Wellesley Hospital, 3rd floor
2014 Washington Street
Newton, MA 02462

Aran Kadar, MD, Co-Director, Intensive Care Unit
Newton-Wellesley Hospital, 2nd floor
2014 Washington Street
Newton, MA 02462

At Newton-Wellesley, critically ill patients with medical, cardiologic, or surgical maladies are cared for in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This unit consists of 12 beds and is staffed by intensivists, cardiologists, critical care nurses, respiratory therapists, and clinical nutritionists. The ICU functions as a "closed unit"-- the Covering Intensivist, rather than the patient's primary care physician, is the attending physician.

During the weekdays, our board-certified intensivists spend a minimum of 12 hours per day on site in the ICU and, during the weekends and holidays, spend a minimum of six to eight hours on site in the ICU. During the hours when the attending intensivist is off site, the ICU is staffed by an on-site Covering Intensivist, a senior resident in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital or a fellow or an attending physician at one of the Boston area teaching institutions. When the Newton-Wellesley attending intensivist is off site, he or she is readily available for telephone consultation and, if necessary, can return immediately to the hospital to assist in patient care.

REFRESH Quiet Time Program in the ICU
ICU Quiet Time Hours: 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Intensive Care Units can be hectic and can over stimulate our patients, interfering with their care and recovery. A recent study by the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine found that sleep deprivation and the inability to sleep rank among the top three major sources of anxiety and stress during an ICU stay.

As a way to promote adequate rest for our vulnerable critical care population, the Hospital has created a rest promotion program called REFRESH, "Restore Energy For Recovery Encourage Sleep for Healing." This program includes the initiation of quiet hours between 2:00 – 4:00 pm each day. Our main goal is to implement strategies that will lower the noise level, promote rest and healing and increase patient satisfaction.