 BHS Diabetes Education Program Launches Weight Loss & Lifestyle Change ProgramWhile the formal program begins in September, there is an Information Session scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 15, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Hillcrest Campus of BMC. To register for this Information Session, call 413-395-7942.  BMC Diabetes Education Program Achieves American Diabetes Association RecognitionAccording to the ADA, the BMC program "offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment."  BMC Achieves Awards for Stroke CareThe Coverdell Defect-free Care Award recognizes hospitals that, from the period of January 2018 to December 2018, provided defect-free care to 90 percent or more of their stroke patients by utilizing all of the interventions for which each patient was eligible.  Berkshire Medical Center Honored with Five Quality Achievement AwardsFor 2019, BMC received the following awards: Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll, AFIB Gold, Resuscitation Gold (Adult) and Mission: Lifeline NSTEMI (Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction) Silver Referring Center.  Berkshire Medical Center Achieves Healthgrades 2019 Patient Safety Excellence AwardThis is the third straight year BMC has been recognized with this honor, which places the medical center among the top 5 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals reporting patient safety data as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals.  Berkshire Medical Center Awarded Recertification for Total Hip & Knee ReplacementThe certification is for Joint Commission-accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers seeking to elevate the quality, consistency and safety of their services and patient care.  Longtime Nephrologist Honored with BMC Patient-Centered AwardDr. Henry Rose, who has served kidney disease and dialysis patients at BMC for more than 30 years, was awarded the honor during a special breakfast ceremony on March 29, National Doctors Day.  Berkshire Vein Center Earns Accreditation By IACAccreditation by IAC indicates that the Berkshire Vein Center has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to be in compliance with the published standards, thus demonstrating a commitment to quality patient care in vein treatment and management.  Two Appointed Department Chairs at Berkshire Medical CenterDr. Bradway is the first female chair of Surgery and previously served as interim chair of Surgery for half of 2016 and throughout all of 2018, and was vice chair for five years. Dr. Krochmal is the second woman to serve as chair of Pathology, and she previously served as vice chair from 2016 to 2018.  New Doctor Joins BMC Pulmonary and Critical Care TeamDr. Oelberg is accepting new patients in need of pulmonary and sleep medicine services, and is partnered with Drs. Hafez Alsmaan, Kashif Aslam, Cynthia Callahan, Julio Miranda, Michael Mortelliti and Jack Ringler at Pulmonary Professional Services of BMC.  New Doctor Joins Oncology Team at BMC Cancer CenterDr. Fynan is accepting new patients in need of medical oncology services and joins doctors Michael DeLeo, Trevor Bayliss, Sean Mullally and Nasir Ahmad in providing comprehensive care at the Cancer Center.  BMC Receives Straight A Grade for Patient SafetyBMC is one of only 42 "Straight A" hospitals in the United States to be awarded an "A" every grading cycle since 2012.  New Doctor Joins BMC Cancer CenterDr. Ahmad is accepting new patients in need of hematology oncology services at both the Berkshire Hematology Oncology of BMC offices in Pittsfield, at the BMC Cancer Center and, in North Berkshire, at the North Adams Campus of BMC.  Berkshire Health Systems Has 'Legitimate Concerns' With Ballot QuestionBerkshire Medical Center officials estimate that it'll cost the hospital $22.8 million if Question 1 is passed. Voters will be asked to vote yes or no on a question as to whether or not legally mandate specific ratios of registered nurses to patients. Berkshire Health Systems is opposing the question, fearing the costs will prove to be detrimental to service.  Advocates for Ballot Measure on Nurse Staffing Levels Rally in PittsfieldQuestion 1 was placed on the ballot by petition and spells out the maximum number of patients under a nurse's charge in acute care facilities. Voting yes will institute the changes that will have to be implemented by Jan. 1, 2019, or at the expiration of any current nursing contract. Voting no will leave everything as it is.  BMC Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Starts Better Breathers ClubBetter Breathers Clubs are welcoming support groups for patients and caregivers affected by chronic lung diseases including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer.  Polito Announces $9.6M in Energy Resiliency Projects for HospitalsAs the climate becomes ever more volatile, storms have forced the evacuation of hospitals. Massachusetts doesn't want to see that happen here. On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced $9.6 million in grant awards to nine hospitals to build "resiliency."  Strike Averted: Hospital, Nurses Union Reach AgreementThe nurses union and the hospital have tentatively settled on a contract, averting what would have been the second strike. Bargaining for three consecutive days and stretching late into the night, Berkshire Medical Center and the local Massachusetts Nurses Union chapter settled on a five-year deal. That agreement needs to be ratified by a vote of the full 800 members.  BMC Registered Nurses Plan to Strike AgainThe nurses union has re-issued its plans to strike after lengthy negotiations Monday. The Massachusetts Nurses Association's Berkshire Medical Center chapter is planning to strike again. The union and the hospital has been attempting to settle a contract for more than a year and a half after the last contract expired in September 2016. In October, the nurses went on a one-day strike which was followed by a four-day lockout.  BMC Nursing Unit Offers Compromise on Biggest Contract HurdlesThe union nurses at Berkshire Medical Center have completed a review of the hospital's proposed changes to health insurance and said they can live with it. But, they say there is still work to be done on the staffing issue. The local Massachusetts Nurses Association chapter and the hospital has been in contract negotiations for a year and a half. The last contract expired in September of 2016 and negotiations have been ongoing since. Last October, the nurses held a one-day strike which was f  BMC Receives Healthgrades 2018 Patient Safety Excellence AwardThe 2018 distinction places BMC among the top 10 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals reporting patient safety data for its excellent performance as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.  Berkshire Medical Center Again Recognized for Straight A’s in SafetyBMC is one of only 49 “Straight A” hospitals in the United States to be awarded an “A” every grading cycle since 2012.  Labor Board to Hear Complaints Against BMCThe National Labor Relations Board will hear three cases against Berkshire Medical Center. The local chapter of the Massachusetts Nurses Association had filed a handful of unfair labor relations complaints with the hospital over contract negotiations. The labor board has now determined that three of them have enough merit to be heard.  BMC Brings Endoscopy Services Under One RoofThe center is pushing for people to have cancer screenings by advertising the fact that March is colorectocal cancer screening month. According to the American Cancer Society, colorectoral cancer is a leading cause of cancer death for both men and women. More than 130,000 people are diagnosed each year.  BMC Area Intersection Reconstruction Delayed AgainCommissioner of Public Services and Utilities David Turocy has put a halt on a $6.2 million project to improve the areas around Berkshire Medical Center. Turocy said on Tuesday that the design ultimately provided only minor improvements and did not improve transit time. The commissioner would rather delay the project for now in hopes to come up with a better design. |
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