I believe in the prevention of disease and the promotion of healthy lifestyles for all children through education and dedication to quality care.

I like to treat each patient and family as individuals. I enjoy earning their trust and getting to know them as well as helping to navigate their child’s successes and challenges. I take pride in making sure we have full and open communication in our visits and your visit never feels rushed. My mission is to provide our patients with the best and most comprehensive pediatric care possible from birth until 21 years of age. I adhere to the “Golden Rule” in my life and practice which is the principle of treating others as one wants to be treated. Outside of work I enjoy exercising, horse back riding, and spending time with my family. I am an avid animal lover and we have many animals in our family.

As the Medical Director of Addiction Medicine at South Shore Health, I work to tackle the defining medical challenge of our time: Substance use and alcohol use disorder.

In addition to seeing adult patients at South Shore Hospital, I work with colleagues across South Shore Health to develop and implement a comprehensive addiction medicine treatment program. This program will connect patients with the resources they need to manage substance use disorder, no matter if they come to us through the Emergency Department, primary care, or another setting. Additionally, I serve as Medical Director for Spectrum Health System's opioid treatment program, ATS/detox, CSS, and therapeutic community in Weymouth.

Prior to my work at South Shore Health, I helped launch the Bridge Clinic at Boston Medical Center, which connected patients with treatment options for substance use disorder. I also served as Medical Director for Spectrum Health Systems’ Opioid Treatment Program in Weymouth.

In my spare time, I enjoy baseball, reading fiction, snowboarding, and cooking.

I care for women throughout their lives—from adolescence through adulthood. I especially enjoy building long-term relationships and being with my patients through each step of their lives. From routine gynecological care to preconception, pregnancy, post-partum and menopause, I am here for my patient throughout her life. I chose OB/GYN as my specialty for the diversity of practice. It involves medical care, surgical care, and delivering babies. 

My parents inspired me—my father was a surgeon and my mother a nurse. I initially wanted to forge a different path and received my bachelor’s degree in Economics. I worked in financial public relations for a short while, but I kept coming back to what really interested me: medicine. I eventually went back to medical school to pursue my true passion. Outside of work, I love being outdoors—hiking, biking, boating, paddle boarding, and snowboarding. I also love to travel and spend time with my family and beloved dog and in quieter times enjoy reading and knitting.

My personal philosophy in nursing and working in healthcare aligns with a profound quote from the book of Galatians, chapter 6 and verse 9, which says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (KJV, 1911).  This embodies the accountability, professionalism, compassion, and perseverance that I have personified in my nursing career. My Christian faith has led me in the paths of what is right and good in this world, giving me the vocation of being a healthcare provider to prove that faith through actions of kindness and care towards others.

I have dedicated my career in healthcare to the goal of improving health literacy for patients and their caregivers. I truly believe that a better understanding of health care issues, disease prevention and disease care by patients and their caregivers has a direct impact on their quality of life. I work hard to actively listen to the concerns, obstacles, and barriers my patients present and collaborate with them to prepare a plan of care.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and pets, am very active in supporting my church, and love to cook.

William Tollefsen, MD is the EMS and MIH Medical Director for South Shore Health. Dual-boarded in Emergency Medicine and EMS Medicine, Dr. Tollefsen works clinically as an Emergency Physician at South Shore Health in addition to his role as EMS Medical Director.

One of few physicians in the country to receive the prestigious "FAEMS" recognition, Dr. Tollefsen is also the Medical Director for OEMS Region IV, serving 61 cities and towns of the Metro-Boston EMS Council. As the current EMS Medical Director for eight municipal and three private ambulance services on the South Shore, Dr. Tollefsen interacts and provides oversight for over 400 Paramedics.

Dr. Tollefsen graduated from New York Medical College and completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Harvard University, Brigham and Women's, and Massachusetts General Hospital. He completed a fellowship in Emergency Medical Services and Critical Care Transport at the University of Massachusetts, where he worked as an Emergency Physician and Flight Physician for UMASS LifeFlight. He completed an MBA at the Isenberg School of Management at UMASS Amherst, and holds a Master of Medical Science degree from the Boston University School of Medicine.

A former pre-hospital provider, he is actively involved in EMS system design, paramedic education and Critical Care Transport Systems. He works closely with multiple EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement agencies throughout Massachusetts.

His research interests include systems of care, resuscitation, airway management, and paramedic education.

Every patient has unique challenges and circumstance of their disease.  My goal is to provide expert care that is tailored to the patient and their family's needs.  Using advanced and proven minimally invasive techniques such as thoracoscopy, robotic and endolumenal treatments, my goal is to minimize pain and accelerate the recovery process so that patients can return to their normal lives.  For patients with cancer, a thorough workup and expedited care is important in getting treated correctly.  Lung cancer, esophageal cancer, thymomas and mediastinal cancers can be difficult to navigate.  I will shepard patients and families through the tests, consultations, and treatments needed so that patients always know that they are being cared for.  For patients with esophageal conditions such as reflux, hiatal hernias, diverticular disease, achalasia, etc., there are minimally invasive surgical options that can provide excellent symptom relief and improve the quality of their lives.  In addition, I treat the multitude of thoracic diseases including thoracic outlet issues, hyperhydrosis, chest wall disorders such as pectus, metastatic cancer issues, end stage cancer surgical therapy among others. 

I grew up in a small town in Northern New York, and joined South Shore Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in 2012. I completed my undergraduate and medical education as well as my general surgical training and surgical critical care fellowship at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. I am also fellowship trained in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. I have had a long-standing passion in bariatric and weight-loss surgery and my goal in joining the South Shore Hospital team was to bring that expertise and opportunity to the South Shore community. The hospital has been very supportive in this endeavor and over the past few years we have created a collaborative team of providers from across institutions to start the South Shore Hospital Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. As medical director it has been my pleasure to help the program grow into a strong clinical component  of the department of surgery and create more outreach into the community. I am also actively engaged as a trauma surgeon and have a busy general surgery practice taking care of a variety of disease processes including the minimally invasive management of gallbladder disease, hernia, GERD, hiatal hernias, as well as the surgical management of a variety of other gastrointestinal disorders. When I am not working, I enjoy the simple things in life like relaxing by a large campfire or spending the day at the beach with my family. 

Dr. Christopher Cannell is a doctoral-trained Physician Associate with over 22 years of multidisciplinary clinical experience in Emergency Medicine (CAQ-EM), Orthopedics, Critical Care, and Internal Medicine. He is nationally recognized for his leadership and expertise in healthcare quality, patient safety, and risk mitigation.  He is a frequent invited speaker on Provider Clinical Risk Management and a blogger for medical liability companies on these critical topics.

Dr. Cannell is a successful entrepreneur leading a six-figure consulting firm where he also trains and encourages other healthcare provider entrepreneurs to explore their passions, niches, and grow their own business.

Dr. Cannell has held key leadership positions including current President of PAs in Legal Medicine, Board of Directors for the Academy of Doctoral PAs and previously with Massachusetts Association of PAs, and Board Advisor for the SCUHS Doctor of Medical Science program. He has led clinical teams as an APC Director, Department Lead, healthcare system, program manager and thought leader and Chair of APC career letter committee, driving innovation in quality improvement, documentation, onboarding, population management, operations, and value-based care initiatives across health systems.  Created POCUS acute care program for PAs and NPs at the largest community hospital in Massachusetts in alignment with the department ultrasound director. 

Dr. Cannell is an experienced medical professional legal consultant (MPLC) and expert witness, certified through Auburn University and The Center for Legal Studies. He has over 8 years of experience providing expert witness and consulting services focused on clinical risk assessment, discovery, and standard of care.  His collaborative consulting work spans clinicians, legal teams, malpractice insurance consultants, executives, AI technology, and life sciences organizations.

A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Cannell serves as Assistant Professor Doctor of Medical Science Program at The University of Lynchburg, current adjunct faculty for the Doctor of Medical Science Program at Marshall B. Ketchum University and also previously with South College (Healthcare Law & Policy), and currently for Northeastern University School of Medical Sciences PA Program, and the Tufts School of Medicine PA Program. He is a subject matter expert in generative AI development, educational consulting for early career and transitional career NPs and PA’s, and interprofessional collaboration to advance the Quadruple Aim.

Dr. Cannell completed leadership training in Just Culture, High Reliability, as well as patient safety through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). He earned his DMSc from the University of Lynchburg, MPAS from MCPHS–Boston, and BA in Pre-Medical Studies and Psychology from Muhlenberg College. He has done additional leadership training from AAPA from The Center for Healthcare Leadership and Management.