About Us
Weill Cornell Emergency Medicine provides state-of-the-art emergency care to adults and children every hour of every day, helping more than 140,000 patients annually.
Our team of board-certified doctors and specialists are well equipped to treat any illness or injury, ranging from minor to complex. We receive, evaluate, and stabilize patients who are transferred to us from all over the world.
“The Weill Cornell Medicine Emergency Department provides the most advanced care, 24 hours per day. A multidisciplinary team of Emergency Medicine experts treats adults and children at our state-of-the-art facilities. Here, you’ll receive great care.”
— Rahul Sharma, M.D., Emergency Physician-in-Chief
Leaders in Comprehensive and Specialized Care
Weill Cornell Medicine physicians have consistently been leaders in patient care, in primary care, as well as in many specialty areas as diverse as in-vitro fertilization, neurology, oncology, and HIV/AIDS care.
We are:
- A Designated 911 Receiving Hospital: Our Emergency Department maintains one of the most extensive hospital-based ambulance services in the northeast. NYP EMS is completely integrated with our emergency department and hospital care.
- Level I Trauma Center: Our Emergency Department is recognized by the American College of Surgeons to be able to provide total care for all aspects of any injury. This is the highest designation possible for an Emergency Department.
- Psychiatric Emergency Receiving (9.39) Center: Our physicians are specially trained to provide the highest level of care for mental illnesses that require immediate observation and care.
- Burn Center for the City of New York: We are the largest Burn Center in the country, treating children and adults with comprehensive, expert care.
- Chest Pain Center: Patients who arrive at the Emergency Department with chest pain or sudden heart emergencies are seen by our team of heart specialists at the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.
- Designated Stroke Center: The New York State Department of Health has designated our Emergency Department to be a Stroke Center because of our full team of stroke specialists on call 24 hours per day for stroke emergencies.
- Convenient Care for Non-Threatening Concerns: Our Telehealth Express Care and NYP OnDemand services provide patients with virtual visits with qualified nurses and physicians for care of minor health concerns.
- Network of Experts: In addition to its specialized focus, the Emergency Medicine Department of Weill Cornell Medicine is proud to partner with NewYork-Presbyterian, the #1 hospital in New York for 16 years running.
Our Services
Geriatric Emergency Medicine
Older adults currently represent 15 percent of annual emergency department visits in the U.S., as much as 60 percent in areas of Florida, Arizona, and parts of the Northeast. This trend is projected to rise as the “baby boomer” generation ages.
Older adults who visit the emergency department have unique needs and require specialized care. They:
• Require more time and, sometimes, more resources for comprehensive care
• Are more likely to be admitted and require intensive care once in the hospital
• Are more likely to have adverse reactions to medications
• Have a higher rate of adverse outcomes after leaving the emergency department
Expert Care for Geriatric and Complex Emergencies
Weill Cornell Medicine’s Emergency Medicine program, in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian, is a national leader in Geriatric Emergency Medicine.
• Our physicians, nurses, and staff are specially trained to provide the best possible care to our older patients.
• Older patients consistently give our emergency department physicians high reviews
• Our board-certified emergency medicine physicians conduct clinical research to better understand the unique needs of geriatric patients in the emergency department — as well as improve patient care and outcomes
At Weill Cornell Medicine, the Emergency Department also trains future physicians to be experts in treating geriatric patients with our unique fellowship and comprehensive residency programs.
Medical Toxicology Service
At Weill Cornell Medicine Emergency Department, the Medical Toxicology Service offers expert care to diagnose, manage, and prevent poisoning of all kinds.
Our specialists are all board-certified in both Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology. They provide bedside and telephone consultations for adults and children to:
● Treat acute or potential poisoning due to drugs, occupational and environmental toxins, and biological agents
● Treat chronic overdoses and withdrawal syndromes
● Prevent and treat medication errors
● Manage adverse drug reactions
Toxicology Experts who Provide Compassionate Care
The Medical Toxicology Service at Weill Cornell Medicine Emergency Department began in 2009 and has since provided over 3,000 consultations in adult and children patients.
Our physicians are renowned experts in Medical Toxicology. They have made notable achievements, in addition to providing outstanding clinical care to patients.
● Drs. Brenna Farmer and Rama Rao were awarded the NewYork-Presbyterian Pharmacy Partner Award
● Dr. Zhanna Livshits served as an Emergency Department expert for New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene advisory panel on harm reduction in opioid-using patients
NYP OnDemand
We offer patients the opportunity to meet virtually with a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician, via video conference.
For urgent care visits, patients can save time traveling to and waiting in the doctor’s office by meeting with a physician virtually. This service is offered to both adult and pediatric patients.
How Does NYP OnDemand work?
● Care for adult patients is offered from 8 am to midnight; care for children is offered from 6 pm to midnight.
● You see an Emergency Medicine physician from Weill Cornell Medicine virtually using the NYP App on your smartphone or tablet, or the website.
● Discharge instructions are shared via patient portal.
● Prescriptions are ordered electronically.
Learn more about NYP OnDemand.
Why Choose NYP OnDemand?
● Get a second opinion about your symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment plan from an expert at Weill Cornell Medicine. We can help you wherever you are and when it’s most convenient for you.
● Access urgent care quickly, without traveling to a doctor or waiting at the office.
● If you’re already at the Weill Cornell Medicine Emergency Department, you can meet with a physician virtually and reduce your waiting time.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine doctors and other healthcare specialists provide outstanding emergency care for ill and injured children and young adults, 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a dedicated, child-friendly space separate from the adult emergency room. The Department of Pediatrics is affiliated with the Pediatric Emergency Department at the top-ranked NewYork-Presbyterian Phyllis and David Komansky Children’s Hospital.
We offer you and your child:
- Physicians board-certified/eligible in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.
- Skilled pediatric emergency nurses experienced in caring for young patients.
- Certified Child Life Specialists with emergency care expertise in child development, child advocacy, and in promoting a family-centered experience.
- Ancillary support staff including social workers who are dedicated to serving children in our Pediatric Emergency Service.
- Pediatric Urgent Care Telehealth from 6 p.m.-midnight, seven days a week.
- Rapid pain management. Our team will rapidly assess your child the moment he or she arrives, and provide comfort as fast as possible.
If you are concerned about your child's health, you may come to the Pediatric Emergency Service at any time without an appointment. You do not have to call the emergency department before you come. If you have a primary care pediatrician, upon your request, we will contact your pediatrician when you are in the Emergency Department.
If your child has recently received treatment in the Emergency Department and you have concerns related to your child's medical health, you may call your primary doctor or you may return to the Emergency Department. Many conditions evolve over time, and you may notice that your child has developed new or different symptoms after being discharged. Our staff is always available to perform further evaluation, including additional testing, if needed.
Pediatric OnDemand Urgent Care (Telehealth), 6pm-midnight
The Pediatric Emergency Service now offers Pediatric OnDemand Urgent Care (Telehealth) from 6pm - midnight, seven days a week. Telehealth is a quick, convenient way to connect with one of our Pediatric Emergency Medicine doctors via a Secure Online Video Chat to get an instant examination, diagnosis, and treatment or referral for you or your child.
Learn more and connect to NYP OnDemand Urgent Care
Services & Programs
The Pediatric Emergency Room
We offer sophisticated facilities equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology which include:
- A uniquely designed resuscitation area enabling management and monitoring of the most critically ill or injured child
- A dedicated procedure area, allowing our surgical specialists to treat minor trauma, orthopedic injuries and lacerations in a calm, safe arena, with the capability to sedate children in a monitored, controlled setting
- A 3-bed observation area facilitating visual contact for children who require close monitoring
Child Life Services
An unexpected visit to the pediatric emergency service can be overwhelming and stressful experience. Our Child Life specialists are certified, trained professionals who offer patients and families a supportive environment, and employ tools to enable a child to cope with a medical emergency. By providing play therapy, distraction, emotional support and coping techniques, we enable our young patients to feel more comfortable and enable their medical care and healing.
NYP/Lower Manhattan Hospital
Our Pediatric Emergency Medicine sub-specialists also care for children at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital (Enter the Pediatric ER at 83 Gold Street), a full-service 24-hour Pediatric Emergency Department. Children are seen in a separate, child-friendly area by pediatric emergency physicians, pediatricians, and nurses. Pediatric patients who require advanced specialty care will be transferred to our Upper East Side location.
Pediatric OnDemand Urgent Care (Telehealth) is available from 6 p.m. - midnight, seven days a week.
Diagnosis & Treatment
The following descriptions may help you prepare for your visit to the Pediatric Emergency Room.
Triage
Triage is the process of evaluating the seriousness of your child's illness or injury. When you first arrive, you and your child will be seen by the triage nurse who is specially trained to take care of children in the Emergency Service. This registered nurse will ask you questions about your child's illness or injury, check your child's temperature and weight, and briefly examine your child. It is important to give all the needed information to the triage nurse. If your child has a life-threatening or very serious illness or injury, he or she will be seen by a doctor with the nurse right away. Before you arrive to the Emergency Department, your child's primary care provider may have called to tell us about your child and his or her condition.
Registration
After triage, the registrar will ask you for information such as your address and telephone number. This information will help us to contact you or your child's doctor about your child's care. Paperwork necessary for your ER visit will be given to you at that time.
Waiting Area
You may be asked to wait in the waiting area until an exam room or doctor is available to see your child. Patients may not be seen in the same order of their arrival to the Emergency Department. Those children with the most serious illnesses and injuries will usually be given priority. A child life specialist is available during the early evening to offer activities, answer questions, and help keep you informed. Feel free to ask a nurse or doctor if he/she can give your child something fun to do; we have many toys, books and videos available. While you are in the waiting area, please do not to give your child anything to eat or drink without checking with the triage nurse first. If you notice that your child is getting sicker or is in more pain, tell the triage nurse right away.
Examination
As soon as possible, you and your child will be brought into an exam room. A team of doctors and nurses will care for your child. Your child may be evaluated by two different doctors. Your child may be initially seen by a resident physician, who is a medical doctor in training to care for children. Your child will also be seen by an attending physician, who is a medical doctor who is trained to care for children with emergencies. The attending physician supervises the care of your child. Depending on your child's condition, your doctor may order a blood test, X-rays, or other tests to help determine what is wrong with your child. Each test will be fully explained to you before it is performed.
A top priority in our Pediatric Emergency Service is to make sure each child is as comfortable as possible, and to rapidly assess and treat pain. If your child is in any pain, please make sure a doctor or nurse is notified so that the proper medication can be given.
Discharge
When your child's care is complete, the doctor or nurse will give you instructions on how to care for your child's illness or injury. They will also tell you about follow-up care. If you have any questions after you leave, call the Pediatric Emergency Services at (212) 746-3300 or you may also call your child's primary care provider.
Admission to the Hospital
Your doctors may decide that your child needs to stay in the hospital longer for further observation or tests. Arrangements will be made for your child to be moved to an inpatient bed on either our general pediatrics unit or the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) as soon as possible.
What Sets us Apart
- Our Pediatric Emergency Department is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, which ranks in more pediatric specialties than any other New York metro area hospital in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals.
Telehealth Express Care Service
Our patients now have the option to have a virtual visit. With Telehealth Express Care Service, you receive outstanding care from our highly qualified staff with unparalleled convenience.
We treat minor issues, including:
● Minor rashes
● Sprains
● Bruises
● Wounds that require checking or follow-up care
● Suture removals
● Tetanus immunizations
How does Telehealth Express Care work?
Patients that consent to this unique visit are first seen by a nurse, examined by a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner, and then receive a real-time video visit with one of our board-certified Emergency Medicine physicians.
Discharge paperwork is printed directly in the room and prescriptions are ordered electronically. This service is offered to both adult and pediatric patients.
Learn more about Telehealth Express Care.
Why does Telehealth Express Care stand out?
● The Telehealth Express Care service at Weill Cornell Medicine is the first program of its kind — in the entire nation — based in an Emergency Department.
● The Emergency Department received the 2017 Emergency Care Innovation of the Year award for the Telehealth Express Care service.
● The program’s success has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst, JAMA, Modern Healthcare, and others.
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What Our Patients Are Saying
"Something worth mentioning... There comes a time when you come across someone in their profession and you truly sense they were meant to do this. Or perhaps that they truly take pride in what they do and really want to make a difference. This was the experience I had when I had the unfortunate need to pay a visit to the Weill Cornell NYP emergency room. Dr. Caldwell was the attending physician that evening and from the moment she entered the exam room area I felt a sense of calm and relief. Her demeanor and attention to detail put my anxiety at ease and she made me feel like I was the only person she came to work that evening to examine, although this couldn’t be farther from the truth since the ER was jam-packed that evening. Nevertheless, she managed to diagnose my problem, and had me on my way. She even took time to tell me about when she had a similar situation happen to herself and we shared a laugh, and it really showed the person behind the white coat. She was a true professional in every sense of the word, as well as a kind and sweet individual. So I felt this was worth mentioning!"
"No one wants to be in the ER, but when you need immediate care I hope you have a physician like Dr. Anne Yim at NY Presbyterian Downtown. She is professional and thorough but has time to be pleasant and reassuring. Everything was explained and options were offered, I felt I was making decisions on my healthcare with her expertise as a guide. Excellent medical assistance. Thank you Dr. Yim."
"Great urgent care experience with her twice."