About Us
The Weill Cornell Medicine Emergency Department provides state-of-the-art emergency care to adults and children every hour of every day, helping more than 130,000 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 offer:
- 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 for 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 adult 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 advisory panel for New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 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.
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.
Our Locations
What Our Patients Are Saying
"Dr. Stell was professional, knowledgeable, and most importantly in an emergency room setting, he was kind and reassuring. He kept me calm, explained everything in detail and made sure I understood what was going on."
"Dr. Anderson was great! Very knowledgable. Her bedside manner was fantastic, a very pleasant person in general."
"Dr Fernandez is the most wonderful caring physician i have ever met. both his bedside manner and his personal grooming are impeccable."