Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Mass. Eye and Ear, or MEE) is a specialty hospital located in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, which focuses on

ophthalmology Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a me ...

(eye),

otolaryngology Otorhinolaryngology ( , abbreviated ORL and also known as otolaryngology, otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ORL–H&N or OHNS), or ear, nose, and throat (ENT)) is a surgical subspeciality within medicine that deals with the surgical a ...

(ear/nose/throat), and related

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...

and

research Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...

. Founded in 1824 as the Boston Eye Infirmary (BEI), it has also been known as the Massachusetts Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary (MCEEI), and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI). It is a teaching partner of

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is cons ...

. Massachusetts Eye and Ear has earned an international reputation for its successful treatment of the most difficult diseases and conditions of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head, and neck, and for its outstanding contributions to medical research and education. In 2018, Massachusetts Eye and Ear has two adult specialties nationally ranked the "U.S. News Best Hospitals Rankings and Ratings 2018-18, with the Department of Ophthalmology ranked number four in the U.S. and the Department of Otolaryngology placing number six in the nation. The primary teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School in ophthalmology and otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear trains more than 110 residents and fellows each year in its various sub-specialties, including

cornea The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and lens, the cornea refracts light, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical ...

, neuro-ophthalmology, retina, eye pathology, pediatrics,

glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that result in damage to the optic nerve (or retina) and cause vision loss. The most common type is open-angle (wide angle, chronic simple) glaucoma, in which the drainage angle for aqueous humor, fluid withi ...

, ocular oncology,

immunology Immunology is a branch of medicineImmunology for Medical Students, Roderick Nairn, Matthew Helbert, Mosby, 2007 and biology that covers the medical study of immune systems in humans, animals, plants and sapient species. In such we can see ther ...

, head & neck surgery,

oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''ó ...

, pediatric

, facial plastics,

otology Otology is a branch of medicine which studies normal and pathological anatomy and physiology of the ear (hearing and vestibular sensory systems and related structures and functions) as well as their diseases, diagnosis and treatment. Otologi ...

and oto-

neurology Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal ...

. In addition to ophthalmology and otolarynology, the hospital provides patient services and conducts research and clinical training in audiology (diagnostics, hearing aids and

cochlear implant A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted neuroprosthesis that provides a person who has moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss with sound perception. With the help of therapy, cochlear implants may allow for improved speech unde ...

s), balance (vestibular), facial nerve, thyroid, voice and speech, and vision rehabilitation.

Main campus

The hospital's main campus is located in Boston's West End, surrounded by various

Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the third oldest general hospital in the United Stat ...

(MGH) buildings. MEEI and MGH are both Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals, the MGH departments of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology are actually departments at MEEI, and both hospitals tend to refer patients to one another. Despite this organizational and physical closeness, MEEI is a separate organization from MGH, with its own Board of Directors and executive team. Notwithstanding this distinction, maps will often show the entire area labeled as "Massachusetts General Hospital". Consisting of a 12-story tower, the current main building was completed in 1973. It houses 42 inpatient beds. The transit stop serving the two hospitals is " Charles/MGH" on the MBTA Red Line train. The signs at the train station (which was rebuilt and opened in 2007) have smaller printing reading "Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary" in addition to the prominent "Charles/MGH" signs. C. Stephen Foster developed the first ocular immunology service at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. The main campus is also home to the Norman Knight Hyperbaric Medicine Center, which provides 24-hour emergency treatment for smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, and diving injuries such as decompression sickness ("the bends"). Treatment for problem-wound healing is also conducted in the center.

History

In a notice published on April 2, 2018, Massachusetts Eye and Ear's President John Fernandez announced the finalization of the agreement to make MEE a part of the

Mass General Brigham Mass General Brigham (MGB) is a Boston-based non-profit hospital and physician network that includes Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), two of the nation's most prestigious teaching institutions. It was ...

hospital and physicians network. In April 2021, the organization settled a lawsuit over improper Medicare and Medicaid billing for $2.7 million.

Other locations

Massachusetts Eye and Ear has a total of 18 sites in the Greater Boston region, including locations in the Longwood Medical Area, Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, and Braintree, Concord, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Milton, Medford, Newton, Plainville, Providence RI, Quincy, Stoneham, Waltham, Weymouth.

References

External links

* {{authority control 1824 establishments in Massachusetts Eye hospitals in the United States Harvard Medical School Hospital buildings completed in 1973 Hospitals established in 1824 Hospitals in Boston Otorhinolaryngology organizations