Lester Hartman, MD
Dr. Hartman has been a member of this practice since 1986. He is very active in developing new innovative ideas for the practice (i.e. Home Strep Test program and pediatrics in general. He has been on the Pediatric Physicians Organization at Children's Hospital Boston Board of Directors for over 8 years. The PPOC is the second largest private practice network in the country. Dr. Hartman was the Quality Improvement Director for the PPOC for over 3 years focusing on long-term management of asthma. His focus has always been to educate families and to empower them to manage their child’s health as well as the families.
He is presently the Medical Home Director for Westwood-Mansfield Pediatric Associates and is teaming up with an Education Care Coordinator who aids in helping children and families dealing with school issues. In addition, he also collaborates with a Medical Care Coordinator dealing with the Special Needs Children. He has a special interest in complex medical children, children with autism and children with asthma. We also have 4 parent partners on a Medical Home Team the he chairs. Dr. Hartman also chairs the Regional Lyme Committee, whose purpose is to raise awareness the prevention and early recognition of early Lyme Disease. The committee has had a successful collaboration with the Medfield School system to develop a yearly curriculum on Lyme disease and hopes to spread this to other towns.
Also, in the past Dr. Hartman has been a member of Physicians for Human Rights. Presently he is in his sixth year of a medical directorship for Clinique Mt. Carroll de Jaumpas in Haiti (www.hopeh.org). He journeys to the clinic with his family two to three times a year. He was down in Port-au-Prince 5 days after the 2010 earthquake aiding to bring refugees up to the mountain clinic for shelter, food, and water.
Dr. Hartman went to medical school at Louisiana State University. His residency was at Children’s Hospital Boston and Boston City Hospital. He has received in the past the Community Pediatrician award from the PPOC and has been selected for BEST DOCTORS for numerous years.
He lives with his wife and two daughters in Needham. His wife is a former pediatric occupational therapist who recently received her masters in religious education at Andover-Newton Theological School. She is presently studying Haitian Creole and is working to become a Deacon in the Episcopal Church. They have a bishapoo named Teddy.
Dr. Hartman says, "Westwood/Mansfield Pediatrics has an excellent team based collaborative approach unique in the pediatric field designed to continuously improve care for children and families. We are also considered a very innovative practice PPOC."