Department of Emergency Medicine

The Department of Emergency Medicine is a fast-paced environment with more than 40,000 patients yearly. Open around the clock, our department is responsible for over 40% of all patients admitted to Tufts Medical Center. It’s here that we operate a full-service Emergency Room, Level I Adult Trauma Center, Pediatric Room, Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and Express Care Center to make it easier for people to get the healthcare they need.
Anna Murphy, RN, Kaitlyn Dimmel, PA and Matthew Mostofi, DO, Assistant Chief of Emergency Medicine, help patient in the Emergency Room at Tufts Medical Center.
Ready for every emergency

We’re ready for every emergency, from a broken ankle to trauma-related injuries from a motor vehicle accident. When people come through our doors, they can feel confident knowing they’re in good hands with our board-certified emergency doctors and emergency room nurses.

Our team has been tested time and again in the face of crises, with years of experience and training in both pediatric and emergency medicine for people of all ages. Having achieved the first-of-its-kind Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) in New England, our team is steadfast in their commitment to providing unmatched emergency care for older adults.

Contact info
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Department research

Our Department seeks to expand our understanding of emergency care and how to better serve our community. This pursuit for the “what’s next” has been documented in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Thanks to grants, this groundbreaking research is possible. Like, for example, how one NIH-funded grant has propelled us to the forefront of studies showing the utility of nuclear scanning and CT scanning of patients with chest pain. And for another study, we’re evaluating the effect of healthcare reform and banning ambulance diversion that led to large practice changes in Massachusetts.

Explore our research

Success stories
David Nowak
Patient Stories
"They absolutely saved my life that day"
When Lowell resident, David Nowak, started experiencing symptoms that he thought was heartburn, the Lowell General Emergency Department sprung into action when they confirmed he was experiencing a heart attack, and had only minutes to live.

"They told me that one of the blockages was on the left side where they normally don't place stents, but I wouldn't have made it to Boston for open-heart surgery, that I had just minutes left," Nowak says. "So they took the biggest stent they had and put it in."
people

Our leadership

Our leadership team gives us the guidance and support we need to ensure that the clinical, research and training goals of the department are met.
  • Department Chair: Brien Barnewolt, MD
  • Associate Chief and Vice Chairman for Clinical Affairs and Quality: Matthew B. Mostofi, DO
  • Director of Emergency Ultrasound: Amir H. Darvish, MD
  • Director of Pediatric Emergency Services: Lauren Elizabeth Rice, MD

Emergency care for when our community need us
Claudia Freeman, RN and Jacqui Webb, Boston Marathon bombing survivor, pose in front of a bulletin board filled with photos at Tufts Medical Center.
News
Boston Marathon bombing: 10 Years later
Located just one mile from the Boston Marathon's finish line, Tufts Medical Center is always ready for Marathon Monday. Each year, we prepare in advance to care for patients from the race. Typically, the types of cases we see are exhaustion and dehydration in runners. But on April 15, 2013, the situation was anything but typical.

Our team reflects on the events that unfolded on April 15, 2013 during the Boston Marathon, and how they continue to impact our community 10 years later.
Anasuya Gunturi MD, PhD talks with patient at Lowell General Hospital's Women's Wellness Center clinic appointment.
Our locations

From regular office visits to inpatient stays, our specialists across Tufts Medicine offer the best in healthcare, when and where our patients need it.
Boston EMS Jason Lapointe helps Megan Murphy, RN ready with oxygen mask patient into an emergency bay in the emergency room at Tufts Medical Center.
Our doctors + care team

Our specialists and care team members across Tufts Medicine deliver unmatched healthcare with a personalized touch.

What's new?

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In the News
Woman Believes Drink Was Spiked at Legal Sea Foods in Boston
October 8, 2024
Nadine Youssef, MD, Emergency Medicine Physician at Tufts Medical Center, in a story about a woman who claims her drink was “roofied” at a Legal Sea Foods in Boston.
Physicians Weigh In on Potential Impact of Trump’s Ear Wound: ‘It’s a Matter of Inches’
July 17, 2024
Quotes by Matthew Mostofi, DO, in an article about how emergency medicine physicians approach treating patients with trauma and gunshot wounds.
Articles
Get Smart About Heat Illness
July 16, 2024
Tufts Medical Center’s Injury Prevention Coordinator shares what you need to know to about common heat illnesses and how to stay safe in extreme heat.