facebook tracking Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA: ER Visit 2h 54m

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA

243 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114Suffolk County

Acute care hospital 41 beds (Medicare cost report FY2024) Emergency room

Independent directory · data from CMS, not from this hospital

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is a non-profit acute care hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, with an emergency department. According to HospitalsInEachState.com's analysis of the October 2026 CMS release, patients treated and sent home spend a median of 2 hr 54 min in its emergency department, 45 min shorter than the average across Massachusetts hospitals (3 hr 39 min). Patients give it 4 out of 5 stars in the Medicare patient survey.

CMS did not publish an overall star rating for this hospital; hospitals that report too few quality measures are not rated.

Source: CMS Care Compare, October 2026 releaseER figures are medians, not live waitsAbout the data

Visiting Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Address 243 Charles St
Boston, MA 02114
County: Suffolk
Directions Apple Maps Call (617) 523-7900
Emergency room Yes. For patients treated and sent home, the median ER visit here lasts 2 hr 54 min (average across MA hospitals: 3 hr 39 min). Medicare's median time in the ER for patients treated and sent home; not a live wait. ER times across MA
What to bring
  • Photo ID and your insurance, Medicare or Medicaid card
  • A list of your medicines, doses and allergies
  • Your doctor's name and phone number
  • A phone charger
Visiting hours and parking vary: call ahead.

Official links: Website for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (opens the hospital's site)

Quick answers about Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

How long is the ER wait at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary?

CMS doesn't publish live wait times. Over the 12 months CMS reported, patients treated and sent home spent a median of 2 hr 54 min in the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary emergency room (the average across Massachusetts hospitals is 3 hr 39 min). 3% of ER patients left before being seen. For tonight's wait, check the hospital's website (opens the hospital's own site) or call (617) 523-7900. In an emergency, call 911.

What is the phone number for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary?

The main phone number for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is (617) 523-7900, from Medicare's hospital records.

Call (617) 523-7900
What is the address of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary?

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is at 243 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114.

Directions (opens Google Maps)
Does Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary have an emergency room?

Yes. Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary has an emergency department, according to Medicare data.

Quality and performance

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · data as of October 2026

Patients treated and sent home from the emergency department at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary spend a median of 2 hours 54 minutes there. That is 45 minutes shorter than the average across Massachusetts hospitals (3 hours 39 minutes).

Left before seen 3%
ER volume medium
Type Acute Care
Ownership Non-profit

Source: CMS Hospital General Information and Timely & Effective Care. Wait times are a median over a past 12-month reporting period, not live data. Not affiliated with CMS or with Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. For a medical emergency, call 911.

Compare ER waits across Massachusetts · How we source this data · Something wrong on this page? Tell us

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What patients say

CMS patient survey (HCAHPS) · 340 completed surveys · patients discharged Jan 2025 – Dec 2025

Patients gave Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary a 4-star patient experience rating out of 5. 83% would definitely recommend it (U.S. average 71%). 78% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10.

Patient star rating ★★★★★ 4 out of 5
Would definitely recommend 83% U.S. 71% · MA 70%
Rated 9 or 10 of 10 78% U.S. 72% · MA 68%
Survey response rate 28% of patients surveyed
Nurse communicationDid nurses treat you with courtesy and respect, listen carefully and explain things clearly?
★★★★★
81% always · 3% sometimes or never · U.S. 80% always
Doctor communicationDid doctors treat you with courtesy and respect, listen carefully and explain things clearly?
★★★★★
80% always · 6% sometimes or never · U.S. 80% always
Communication about medicinesBefore giving you a new medicine, did staff tell you what it was for and its possible side effects?
★★★★★
66% always · 14% sometimes or never · U.S. 62% always
Discharge informationDid staff talk with you about help you would need at home and symptoms to watch for?
★★★★★
89% yes · 11% no · U.S. 86% yes
CleanlinessHow often were your room and bathroom kept clean?
★★★★★
78% always · 7% sometimes or never · U.S. 73% always
Overall hospital ratingUsing any number from 0 to 10, what number would you use to rate this hospital?
★★★★★
78% 9 or 10 · 7% 6 or lower · U.S. 72% 9 or 10
Would recommendWould you recommend this hospital to your friends and family?
★★★★★
83% definitely yes · 4% no · U.S. 71% definitely yes

The patient survey (HCAHPS) asks a random sample of adult patients about their recent hospital stay. CMS adjusts the results for the mix of patients and how the survey was done, so hospitals can be compared fairly. About the data.

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Infections, complications and deaths

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · compared with hospitals nationwide

Its rate of serious complications was same as national.

Serious complications

Serious complications (CMS PSI 90)Combines patient safety problems such as falls with fractures, bed sores, collapsed lungs, blood clots and infections after surgery. 1.00 is the national value; lower is better.
Same as national Ratio 0.88

Death rates within 30 days

Patients treated forThis hospitalU.S.
Hospital-wide, all conditions 4.0% 3.9%

Risk-adjusted rates. CMS has not published a statistical better/worse comparison for these death rates in the current release, so small differences from the U.S. rate may be chance.

Other complications

None of the other safety indicators CMS compares was statistically better or worse than national.

All 9 complication measures
MeasureThis hospitalU.S.CMS comparison
Pressure ulcers (bed sores)per 1,000 patients 0.32 0.55 Same as national
Falls in the hospital that caused a broken boneper 1,000 patients 0.23 0.24 Same as national
Collapsed lung caused by a medical procedureper 1,000 patients 0.17 0.18 Same as national
Bleeding or blood clot under the skin after surgeryper 1,000 patients 3.56 2.25 Same as national
Kidney injury needing dialysis after surgeryper 1,000 patients 1.49 1.56 Same as national
Respiratory failure after surgeryper 1,000 patients 6.93 8.15 Same as national
Blood clots in the lungs or legs after surgeryper 1,000 patients 2.72 3.31 Same as national
Bloodstream infection (sepsis) after surgeryper 1,000 patients 5.1 4.89 Same as national
Accidental cuts or tears during abdominal surgeryper 1,000 patients 1.01 1.04 Same as national

"Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national benchmark statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Infection results compare the infections a hospital reported with the number predicted for a hospital of its size and type (a ratio below 1 means fewer than predicted). Death and complication rates are risk-adjusted for how sick patients were. Each death rate counts deaths within 30 days of a hospital stay, pooled over one to three years of Medicare patients depending on the measure. About the data.

Health insurance at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Original Medicare: Medicare-certified, so it can bill Original Medicare (Medicare number 220075). Medicare Advantage plans have their own networks, which this section does not cover.

Massachusetts runs its own exchange, Massachusetts Health Connector. Check its provider directory for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Is Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in your plan?

Massachusetts runs its own health insurance marketplace, so plan networks there aren't in HealthCare.gov's data.

Check on Massachusetts Health Connector

Source: the insurers' 2027 machine-readable provider files listed in the CMS Marketplace public use files, loaded November 4, 2026, matched to hospitals by NPI from CMS Hospital Enrollments. How we match networks to hospitals Networks change; confirm with your insurer before you go.

Readmissions and return visits

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Medicare patients · Jul 2024 – Jun 2025

On the 3 readmission and return-visit measures CMS could compare, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary was no different from the national rate or its expected level.

Back in the hospital within 30 days

After a stay forThis hospitalU.S.CMS comparison
All conditions (hospital-wide)Medicare patients back in any hospital within 30 days of leaving. 15.5% 16.2% Not compared

Return trips after a stay or procedure

Chemotherapy patients admitted to hospitalInpatient admissions within 30 days of outpatient chemotherapy, per 100 patients.
Same as national 10.2 per 100 patients · U.S. 10.7
Chemotherapy patients visiting the ERER visits within 30 days of outpatient chemotherapy, per 100 patients.
Same as national 5.7 per 100 patients · U.S. 5.4
Hospital visits after outpatient surgeryUnplanned visits within 7 days of same-day surgery, as a ratio to the number expected (1.00 = expected).
As expected 0.90 1.00 = expected · U.S. 1.00

Readmission rates count Medicare patients who were admitted to any acute-care hospital within 30 days of leaving this one, adjusted for how sick they were. "Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national rate statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Return-day and outpatient-surgery measures compare the hospital with what CMS expected for its own patients. The Readmissions Reduction Program ratios are shown as CMS publishes them; whether a hospital's payments are reduced depends on how its ratios compare with similar hospitals, so a ratio above 1.00 alone doesn't mean a penalty. About the data.

Timely and effective care

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · all patients unless noted · Jan 2025 – Dec 2025

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary's emergency department is classed by CMS as medium volume.

MeasureThis hospitalU.S.*
Typical time in the ER before going homeMedian minutes from arrival to leaving, for ER patients sent home (not counting mental health patients or transfers). Lower is better. 399 patients. 174 min 162 min
Patients who left the ER before being seenLower is better. 33,439 patients. 3% 2%
Health care workers vaccinated against fluHigher is better. 3,051 patients. 96% 77%
Discharged on two opioids, or an opioid and a benzodiazepinePatients sent home with prescriptions that raise the risk of overdose when combined. Lower is better. 780 patients. 21% 16%
Blood clot prevention givenHigher is better. 935 patients. 95% 91%*

CMS publishes these process-of-care measures without a better/worse verdict, so the U.S. figure is shown for context; small differences, or results based on few patients, may not mean much. *Median of all hospitals CMS reports, where CMS publishes no national figure. About the data.

Medicare spending and payment programs

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Hospital-acquired conditions · FY 2026
1% payment cut
Ranked in the worst-performing quarter of hospitals on infections and patient-safety problems, so Medicare cut its payments by 1% for the year. 719 of 3,012 hospitals were penalized.
Medicare spending per patient
0.96
4% less than the national median per hospital stay (about $26,320 vs $27,417), counting Medicare spending from 3 days before admission to 30 days after discharge.

The Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program cuts Medicare payments by 1% for the quarter of hospitals with the worst scores. The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program withholds a small share of every hospital's Medicare payments and pays it back according to the total performance score. A spending ratio of 1.00 equals the national median; spending reflects prices, the services patients received and care after discharge, not quality. Some hospitals, such as critical access, children's and cancer hospitals, are not part of these programs. About the data.

Care after a stay at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Medicare-certified providers near this hospital, with their CMS ratings. A hospital discharge planner can make the referral.

Skilled nursing facilities nearby

Skilled nursing ratings and inspections at Nursing Homes In Each State

Dialysis centers nearby See more

Home health agencies nearby See more

Hospice care providers nearby See more

Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.

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Doctors at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

719 Medicare-enrolled doctors and other clinicians list this hospital as an affiliation, across 27 specialties.

See all 719 clinicians

Find doctors in Boston

Medicare-enrolled specialists with a practice in Boston, with addresses, phone numbers and the hospitals they work with.

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What Medicare paid at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · original Medicare patients · 2024

Average hospital charges and actual payments for the procedures Medicare patients most often had here, compared with the average for Massachusetts.

Hospital stays

Outpatient services

ServiceServicesAvg billedAvg allowed
Level 1 Intraocular ProceduresAPC 5491 3,528 $6,200 $2,489
Level 2 Intraocular ProceduresAPC 5492 1,036 $10,943 $4,341
Level 3 Airway EndoscopyAPC 5153 733 $4,319 $1,813
Level 3 Extraocular, Repair, and Plastic Eye ProceduresAPC 5503 711 $7,558 $2,499
Level 5 ENT ProceduresAPC 5165 291 $19,112 $6,289

Charges are the hospital's list prices; payments are what Medicare, the patient and any other insurer actually paid (for outpatient services, Medicare's allowed amount). Private insurance prices differ. "vs state" compares this hospital's average payment with the state average for the same stay. All procedure costs.

Size and finances

Medicare cost report · fiscal year ending Sep 2024

Beds
41
Reported to Medicare, FY2024
Employees
1,357
Full-time equivalent
Discharges
1,555
Inpatient stays a year
Patient revenue
$311.8 million
Net of discounts
Operating margin
-38.7%
On patient care
Charity care
$3.7 million
0.9% of expenses
Bad debt
$4.3 million
Unpaid patient bills

As reported by the hospital to CMS; not audited. Operating margin is income from patient care divided by net patient revenue and leaves out investment income and donations. Compare Massachusetts hospital finances.

Who owns Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Medicare enrollment and ownership records (PECOS)

Medicare lists the hospital's legal name as Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, a non-profit organization, incorporated 1827.

Mass General Brigham Incorporated Owns 5% or more directly · 100% · since 2018 Non-profit

1,012 doctors and other clinicians list Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary as a hospital affiliation in Medicare's clinician directory.

Organizations with 5% or more ownership (directly or through other companies), partnership interests or operational control, as the hospital reported them to Medicare. Records can lag behind recent sales. Individuals are not listed. Who owns America's hospitals.

The area around Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

HRSA shortage designations and BLS pay data

Primary care: Parts of Suffolk are federally designated health professional shortage areas (2 designations). Highest shortage score 17.

Mental health: Parts of Suffolk are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 18.

Dental: Parts of Suffolk are federally designated health professional shortage areas (6 designations). Highest shortage score 15.

Nurse pay: registered nurses in Massachusetts earn a median $104,550 a year. Healthcare salaries in Massachusetts.

Shortage areas are designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration where there are too few primary care, mental health or dental providers for the population; scores run from 0 to 25 for primary and mental health care and 0 to 26 for dental care, higher meaning greater need. Massachusetts shortage areas

Healthcare pay in Massachusetts

Registered nurses across Massachusetts (all employers) earned a median of $104,550 a year (BLS, May 2025).Registered Nurse (RN) salary in MassachusettsNurse Practitioner salary in MassachusettsRespiratory Therapist salary in MassachusettsHealthcare salaries in Massachusetts

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Cite this data

Writing about Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary? You're welcome to quote these figures. They are free to use under CC BY 4.0: please credit HospitalsInEachState.com and link to this page.

Figures as of the October 2026 CMS release Updated automatically when CMS publishes new data Permanent link: hospitalsineachstate.com/hospitals/massachusetts/boston/massachusetts-eye-and-ear-infirmary/243-charles-st/

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