North Adams Hospital Partners With Surgical Practice
 Dr. Christian Galvez, left, and Dr. Jose Heisecke were welcomed with gift baskets at North Adams Regional Hospital. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Northern Berkshire Healthcare is partnering with a local surgical practice to improve the level of patient care closer to home.
Berkshire Surgical Associates is expanding to place two general surgeons at North Adams Regional Hospital, offering services that haven't been available at the hospital for a few years. The practice has offices in Great Barrington and Pittsfield for a number of years.
The announcement of the partnership was made on Thursday afternoon in a crowded lobby at the hospital as the two newest surgeons — Drs. Jose M. Heisecke and Christian R. Galvez — were introduced to the hospital community, including a cadre of surgical staff. They join Dr. Louis Reines, who has been practicing at NARH since 2011.
"This is really about our patients in our community and having the resources right here so we can serve our patients the way we need to," said Dr. Jonathon Cluett, an orthopedic surgeon and vice president of the NBH board of trustees.
The discussions between the hospital and practice began nearly a year ago and was prompted by both the hospital's need for surgeons and the growing number of patients coming to the surgical associates' Pittsfield office.
"These are not new people in this community," said practice administrator Christopher J. Pedersen of the associates' surgeons. "They've cared for your friends and neighbors over the last 30 years or so. What today really says is we want to bring our experience and our dedication of patient care to your location, to bring it closer to you and your families and where you live."
General surgery refers to procedures related to the torso and organs — gall bladders, intestines, appendix. Heisecke joined the surgical associates in 2008 and Galvez in 2011. Both completed their residencies at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.
Northern Berkshire Healthcare President and CEO Tim Jones said the agreement is a first step in creating a countywide perspective
"It really is the vision for the future for rural health care," said Jones. "We think we can create a model for rural health care that might might apply in other rural environments.
"I have a firm belief that this county will need to look at health care from a countywide perspective."
Forging these medical agreements is difficult, not of hesitancy on either side, but because of complicated logistical and legal obstacles, said Jones.
Rules passed by Congress, the so-called Stark law for instance targeted toward paid referrals, require the partnership be set up in specific way. There's also organizational culture to consider, as well as operational guidelines on responsibilities for patient care.
Jones, however, sees these types of partnerships as the vital to providing care in the future, especially for Northern Berkshire Healthcare.
"It will be critically difficult in the future that we establish these kinds of partnerships," he said. "This is how we'll do it ... this is not unique it's happening all around the country."
For Berkshire Surgical Associates, it's another chance to live up the motto its members created to encapsulate a vision of care: "Experienced care close to home."
"We know that when people are treated locally it's easier for families, they don't have to travel, the patients don't have to travel," said Pederson. "Even just traveling to Pittsfield can be hardship."
He also sees an opportunity to increase communication between the practice and the hospital that traditionally had not been there. As for further expansion of the practice northward, he said, "anything is possible."
The surgeons:
Heisecke was born in Texas, but raised in Paraguay. After graduating medical school in 1997, he moved back to Texas to continue his training in family medicine. He completed his residency in general surgery at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and joined Berkshire Surgical Associates in 2008. Heisecke has expertise in minimally invasive general surgery, as well as vascular, gastrointestinal and breast surgery, and also performs colonoscopy services. He speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese fluently. He lives in Pittsfield with his wife, Christina, and their six children. He enjoys spending time with his family and playing soccer, which he did professionally while living in Paraguay.
Galvez is a native of Guatemala. He received his medical degree from Francisco Marroquin University Medical School in Guatemala City and completed his residency in general surgery at Berkshire Medical Center. He completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh and joined Berkshire Surgical Associates in 2011. Galvez has expertise in minimally invasive general surgery as well as vascular, thoracic and breast surgery. He is fluent in English, Spanish and German. Galvez enjoys photography, swimming, and motorcycle mechanics. He is also a volunteer surgeon at Hermano Pedro Hospital in Guatemala, going on surgical missions yearly. He lives in Lanesborough with his wife, Amy, and three young children.
Tags: health care, NARH, NBH, partnership, surgeon,
