My goal is to help patients and families manage the acute illness that lead to hospitalization and transition to a healthy life outside the hospital environment.

I am passionate about effective management of acute medical issues while providing clear and concise medical information. In addition to clinical practice, I am interested in using technology innovations to improve patient health.

Outside of work, I am an avid SCUBA diver. 

It has been my privilege to practice medicine and to have made a difference in the lives of my patients over the past 21 years. I enjoy the challenges of practicing internal medicine in a hospital setting and working as part of a team with our excellent hospitalist providers, consultants, nursing and ancillary staff. I served as Medical Director of the Hospitalist Department from 2009-2015 and am proud to say that we have an amazing program with dedicated clinicians who genuinely enjoy the care of hospitalized patients and are committed to excellence in their every day work. I enjoy giving back by participating in the Pan Mass Challenge which raises critical funds for cancer research and the Multiple Sclerosis cycling events. I enjoy boating, hiking and camping, and long distance bicycling and, most importantly, spending time with my family.

I graduated from Colegio Nacional de San Isidro in Buenos Aires, Argentina and completed my medical degree at Buenos Aires University School of Medicine. My surgical and urological residency were spent at the Hospital Italiano in Buenos Aires. I was an attending Urologist at Hospital Roffo in Buenos Aires until I came to the United States. At that point I was a Urology Fellow working on a research project at the Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. I completed my American residencies in urology and surgery at the University of Massachusetts.

I enjoy spending time with my wife and three children.

My philosophy is to engage patient is their own care.

I completed my residency at Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, MA, often caring for underserved populations and immigrants.  I believe in engaging the patient in their own care and understanding any difficulty they may have in caring for themselves.

As an admitting hospitalist, my focus is to facilitate a smooth transition between the emergency department and the inpatient  admission. 

Waiting to be admitted to the hospital can be nerve wracking, emotional, and even scary. My goal is to ease  your transition from waiting in the ER to being admitted, explain your condition, and answer all questions you may have. Raised and educated locally, it is my pleasure to serve this wonderful community of people who call the South Shore home. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends, and exploring/discovering all that the area has to offer.   

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.

M. Reza Afrasiabi, MD

My mission is to provide every patient on the acute care surgery and trauma surgery services with the highest quality of care inside and outside of the operating room.

I was raised in Southern California and moved to Boston to complete my undergraduate degree in mathematics at MIT.  After completing general surgery residency in Chicago, I moved back to Boston to complete fellowships in Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery at the Brigham. I love the outdoors and spend my free time snowboarding and hiking throughout the northeast with my friends and family.

I love caring for children and their families, whether it be supporting parents as they learn how to care for their newborns or helping a sick child recover from an acute illness. I believe in shared decision-making and incorporating each family's individual needs and goals into their child's care. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family, running, and traveling.

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.