Massachusetts packs teaching hospitals, community hospitals, state-run psychiatric facilities and a large veterans' medical system into a small area. A resident of Boston may have several emergency departments within a short drive. A resident of the Berkshires may have one. This page explains how the system is organised, who regulates it, and how to choose the right door when you need care.

Who Licenses and Regulates Hospitals in Massachusetts

Hospital licensure sits with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, usually shortened to DPH. Its Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification inspects hospitals, investigates complaints and enforces the rules under Chapter 111 of the Massachusetts General Laws. A state license is separate from federal Medicare certification, although most hospitals hold both.

Other state bodies handle different pieces. The Health Policy Commission, created in 2012, reviews material changes such as mergers and tracks health care spending growth. The Center for Health Information and Analysis publishes cost and quality data. The Department of Mental Health operates a small number of state psychiatric facilities, including the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital at 309 Belmont Street in Worcester (508-752-4681).

Hospitals come in several types. Acute care hospitals take emergencies, surgery and most admissions. Chronic disease and rehabilitation hospitals focus on longer stays. Psychiatric hospitals, such as Arbour Human Resource Institute at 227 Babcock Street in Brookline (617-731-3200), treat behavioral health conditions. Federal facilities answer to Washington rather than Beacon Hill. The VA New England Healthcare System campus at 200 Springs Road in Bedford (781-687-4821) is one example.

Big projects need state approval too. Under the Determination of Need program, run through DPH, hospitals must justify major construction or costly new equipment before they proceed. A hospital that plans to close an essential service must give public notice, and DPH can hold a hearing. If you hear that a service near you is ending, that is the process to follow.

Boston, Cambridge and the Inner Ring of Hospitals

Boston accounts for 41 of the listings in our database, far more than any other city. Much of that comes from the Longwood Medical Area, where Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's East Campus stands at 330 Brookline Avenue (617-667-8000). Several teaching hospitals share that neighborhood with Harvard Medical School, so patients are often referred between them.

Suffolk County covers Boston and has the most listings of any county. Just across the Charles River, Mount Auburn Hospital at 330 Mount Auburn Street in Cambridge (617-492-3500) serves Cambridge and the towns around it.

Middlesex County stretches from Cambridge and Everett out to Natick, Framingham, Lowell and Bedford. CHA Whidden Hospital Campus is at 103 Garland Street in Everett (617-389-6270). Metrowest Medical Center runs two campuses: Framingham at 115 Lincoln Street and Leonard Morse in Natick at 67 Union Street. Both use 508-383-1000. Saints Medical Center is at 1 Hospital Drive in Lowell (978-458-1411).

North of Boston, Essex County has Beverly Hospital at 85 Herrick Street (978-922-3000) and the North Shore Medical Center Salem Campus at 81 Highland Avenue (978-741-1215). Cape Ann relies on the Addison Gilbert Campus at 298 Washington Street in Gloucester (978-283-4000). Boston Children's at Peabody, 10 Centennial Drive (781-216-3400), brings pediatric specialists to the North Shore. Whittier Health Network in Haverhill, at 145 Ward Hill Avenue (978-372-8000), serves the Merrimack Valley border.

Short distances do not mean identical services. In greater Boston, children's, cancer, burn and transplant care sit at a few academic centers. Community hospitals handle most emergencies and routine admissions, then transfer patients when a higher level of care is needed. Ask your primary care doctor which hospitals your specialists and insurer work with before you need one.

Springfield, Worcester, the Berkshires and the Cape: Regional Differences

Western Massachusetts runs on a few anchor hospitals. Baystate Medical Center at 759 Chestnut Street in Springfield (413-794-0000) is the major referral hospital for Hampden County and the surrounding region. Sisters of Providence Health in Holyoke, at 1233 Main Street (413-536-5111), covers the Holyoke area. Cooley Dickinson Hospital, 30 Locust Street in Northampton (413-582-2000), serves Hampshire County and the Pioneer Valley.

Farther west, the Berkshire Health Systems: BMC Medical Arts Complex at 777 North Street in Pittsfield (413-447-2000) is the main hub. Rural patients here often drive a long way, and serious trauma or specialty cases may be transferred by ambulance or air medical transport to Springfield, Albany or Boston.

Central Massachusetts centers on Worcester. The city is home to the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and its teaching hospital, along with the state-run recovery center noted above. Residents of Worcester County in smaller towns often use a local community hospital for emergencies and travel to Worcester for specialty care.

The southeast has several mid-sized city hospitals. Saint Anne's Hospital in Fall River is at 795 Middle Street (508-674-5600). Southcoast Health System lists 101 Page Street in New Bedford (844-744-5544). Sturdy Memorial Hospital is at 211 Park Street in Attleboro (508-236-8000). Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, at 235 North Pearl Street (508-588-4000), serves the Plymouth County side of the region.

On Cape Cod, Cape Cod Healthcare lists 27 Park Street in Hyannis (508-771-1800). Summer crowds swell demand, so expect longer emergency waits in July and August. Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard have their own small hospitals, and patients who need advanced care are moved to the mainland by air or ferry.

What to Bring and When to Go to a Massachusetts Hospital

Call 911 for chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding, serious injuries or trouble breathing. Under the federal EMTALA law, a hospital emergency department must screen and stabilize anyone who arrives, whether or not they can pay. For minor illness, urgent care or your own doctor is usually faster and cheaper. For a planned visit, bring:

Some entries in our directory are health systems, campuses or related clinics rather than a single building. Fresenius Medical Care at Northeast Rehab in Braintree and the Massachusetts Hospital School in Canton are examples of specialized sites. Call the number listed to confirm the department, hours and entrance before you travel.

Hospitals across Massachusetts provide a full range of medical services from emergency and trauma care to specialized treatment programs, with public and nonprofit facilities playing a particularly important role in serving uninsured and rural populations throughout the state.

Hospitals locations are available in 88 cities across Massachusetts. They are spread across 14 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Boston, Springfield, Worcester, which serve as major medical centers with academic teaching hospitals, trauma centers, and specialized treatment facilities for the surrounding region.

Residents of Massachusetts should know their nearest emergency room location before a medical crisis occurs, and should check their insurance network to understand which hospitals in the state are covered under their plan.

Hospitals by Counties

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Residents of Massachusetts who face large hospital bills should ask about financial assistance programs before the bill goes to collections. Most hospitals are required to notify patients about charity care options, and applications can often be submitted months after a visit.

Browse Hospitals by county across Massachusetts to find the nearest location.

Paying for Hospital Care and Requesting Records in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has required adults to carry health coverage since its 2006 reform, and that history shapes how hospital billing works. Most residents are covered through an employer, Medicare, MassHealth (the state's Medicaid program) or a plan bought through the Massachusetts Health Connector. If you are uninsured or underinsured, ask about the Health Safety Net, which helps pay for certain medically necessary services at acute hospitals and community health centers for eligible low-income residents.

Every hospital has a financial counseling or patient accounts office. Ask for it before or soon after your visit. Request an itemized bill, ask whether you qualify for financial assistance, and ask about a payment plan. State price transparency rules also let you ask a provider for a cost estimate before a planned service.

To get your medical records, contact the hospital's health information or medical records department. Expect to complete a signed authorization form and show photo ID. Federal HIPAA rules give you the right to see and copy your records, though hospitals may charge a reasonable copying fee.

If you have a quality or safety concern, start with the hospital's patient relations office. You can also file a complaint with the DPH Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification. Concerns about a physician's conduct go to the Board of Registration in Medicine. Veterans should check eligibility with the VA campus in Bedford before seeking non-emergency care.

Massachusetts Hospital Questions Answered

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health licenses hospitals through its Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification. That division inspects facilities, reviews complaints and enforces state rules under Chapter 111 of the General Laws. If you have a safety or care concern that the hospital's own patient relations office does not resolve, you can file a complaint with the division. Concerns about an individual doctor go to the Board of Registration in Medicine instead. Keep dates, names and any bill or record numbers handy when you file.

Use the emergency department, or call 911, for symptoms that could threaten life or limb. Examples include chest pain, signs of stroke, heavy bleeding, major injuries, and severe breathing trouble. Urgent care suits sprains, minor cuts, mild infections and similar problems that cannot wait for a regular appointment. In rural areas such as the Berkshires, the nearest emergency room may be a long drive, so call 911 early rather than driving yourself if the situation is serious. Ambulance crews can choose a hospital suited to your condition.

Start by calling the hospital's financial counseling or patient accounts office and asking about financial assistance. Ask whether you may qualify for MassHealth or the Health Safety Net, which can cover certain services for eligible low-income residents. You can apply for state programs through MassHealth. If you are uninsured, the Massachusetts Health Connector can also help you find a plan. Request an itemized bill so you can check each charge, and ask about an interest-free payment plan before the account goes to collections.

Call the hospital's main number and ask for the health information or medical records department. For example, Baystate Medical Center in Springfield answers at 413-794-0000, and Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge at 617-492-3500. You will usually need to sign an authorization form and show photo ID. Many hospitals also offer an online patient portal. Under federal HIPAA rules you have a right to your records, though a reasonable copying fee may apply. Allow several days for processing, and ask for an electronic copy if you prefer.

Cape Cod Healthcare lists 27 Park Street in Hyannis (508-771-1800), and our Barnstable County pages cover the Cape. Summer visitors raise demand, so minor problems may be quicker at urgent care. Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard each have a small hospital of their own. Patients who need advanced or specialty care are usually transferred to the mainland by air or ferry. If you are visiting, carry your insurance card and a medication list, because out-of-area records can be slow to arrive.

In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 if there is immediate danger. Any hospital emergency department can evaluate a mental health emergency. Specialized facilities in our listings include Arbour Human Resource Institute at 227 Babcock Street in Brookline (617-731-3200). The state-run Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital at 309 Belmont Street (508-752-4681) is operated by the Department of Mental Health. Admission to state facilities is generally arranged through the mental health system rather than as a walk-in, so call ahead.