Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates Affiliates with Berkshire Health Systems

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates, a provider of orthopedic care in the Berkshire region, has entered into an affiliation with Berkshire Health Systems.

“Through this affiliation, Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates will be able to preserve and strengthen the availability of orthopedic services across Berkshire County,” said Dr. Kevin Mitts, division chief of orthopedics at Berkshire Medical Center and a surgeon with the practice. “In addition, this agreement gives us critical access to a variety of support services, including assistance in recruiting new physicians and other providers to serve our community’s orthopedic needs. In fact, two new orthopedic surgeons will be joining our practice in the coming months.”

 Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates features doctors Kevin Mitts, Jeffrey Cella, Anthony DeFelice, Mark Sprague, Michael Nancollas and David Grygier. The practice provides comprehensive orthopedic services, including surgical and non-surgical approaches, advanced Joint Replacement surgery for knees, hips, shoulders and ankles, specialized hand surgery and rehabilitation care. 

The physicians of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates are joined by a team of highly specialized physician assistants who are experts in orthopedic care.

This affiliation helps to stabilize the physician practice and ensure continued and expanded access to these orthopedic care services. Growing changes in health-care policy and in the health insurance reimbursement system have challenged the viability of private physician practices. At the same time, health-care systems like BHS are increasingly relied upon to ensure current and future access to critical services for the community by investing in physician practices and ensuring they have the necessary support systems and financial stability and investment to succeed in the long-term. 

By becoming an affiliate of Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates continues to serve its existing patients, but has the enhanced ability to provide access to new patients through the support of Berkshire Health Systems’ intensive physician recruitment program. 

 Daily operations of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates will remain unchanged, and patients will see no differences in their relationship with their individual physician or the practice. Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates will see patients in three locations in the county – in Pittsfield at its 24 Park Street offices on the first floor of the Crane Center for Ambulatory Surgery building; in Great Barrington at Fairview Hospital, in the Doctor’s Building, 27 Lewis Avenue; and at a new office in North Adams, at the North Adams Campus of Berkshire Medical Center. 

 This new affiliation continues many years of collaborative effort between Berkshire Health Systems and the surgeons of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates, to assure the availability of these important services for people in the region.


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Pittsfield Council Rejects Federal Police Drone Grant

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday rejected a $31,000 police drone grant after a larger conversation about surveillance and responsible data storage. 

On the agenda was $31,167 from the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, for the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. For about two hours, councilors dug into the U.S. Department of Justice contract, found grammatical errors, and what they described as abnormally worded conditions and red flags. 

"It's not even like one red flag. It's like a whole field of red flags," Ward 7 Councilor Kathy Moody said.

They voted 9-2 to reject the grant, with only Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren and Ward 3 Councilor Matthew Wrinn in favor.  

"We should not approve a grant where the contract goes against our own policies, whether it be state or local policies, or whether the requirements in that contract go against our community's values," Councilor at Large Alisa Costa said. 

"And what I heard from residents before this meeting, and what was a concern that I flagged when I first read this, is that it does go against my values and the values of our neighbors and us wanting to protect people." 

Open microphone speakers said provisions in the contract violate the Massachusetts PROTECT Act, which Gov. Maura Healey signed last month to establish statewide limits on state and local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. 

"I'm particularly concerned about Condition 53, that would essentially require police officers to report to [the Department of Homeland Security] anyone who is being released from custody from a correctional facility, which would include local jails," resident Kamaar Taliaferro said. 

"Condition 54. This condition is in direct violation of the PROTECT Act." 

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