New Chief of Cardiology Joins Berkshire Health Systems

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems has appointed Dr. Peter Chien as the new division chief of cardiology at Berkshire Medical Center. 

Dr. Chien, a board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiologist, joins the BMC medical staff and the physician staff of Cardiology Professional Services of BMC. He is partnered with doctors Kyle Cooper, Andrew Potash, Georgianne Valli-Harwood and Shyama Wickramaaratchi at Cardiology Professional Services of BMC, and he is accepting new patients in need of cardiac care.

Chien has previously held leadership roles in several organizations and most recently practiced as a non-invasive cardiologist at York Hospital in York, Maine.

He is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease and was fellowship-trained in cardiovascular disease at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut. He received his medical degree from New York Medical College and completed his residency in internal medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. He later earned an executive master of business administration degree from the University of Connecticut, where he was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society for business school programs.

For an appointment with Dr. Chien or one of his colleagues, ask your primary care physician for a referral or for more information call Cardiology Professional Services of BMC at 413-395-7580.


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Pittsfield Council Reviews Public Safety Budget, Keeps SpotShotter

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On the fourth day of budget deliberations, the City Council preliminarily approved public safety and public service budgets. 

See the first two days of budget review here; and the third day here.

Councilors deliberated the Pittsfield Police Department's $16,439,421 spending plan for more than 90 minutes. Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren unsuccessfully motioned to cut $220,000 for ShotSpotter services. 

He said the acoustic gunshot detection technology is not well used throughout the country, citing other communities that have opted out or are exploring it. 

Pittsfield has two more years on its contract; while councilors voted down the budget reduction several were willing to explore the impact data and see if those funds could be used elsewhere. 

Police Chief Marc Maddalena reported that there has been a significant decrease in shots fired calls, and attributed it to the surveillance technology assisting enforcement. He said it also comes in faster than 911 calls. 

"If people know that just by that noise alone that we're responding within seconds, that's preventing them from utilizing that weapon," he said. 

"So that in of itself is saving lives." 

It has an about 20 percent accuracy rate, and police respond to every activation. 

On Sunday, at least two homes in the area of Memorial Drive and Doyle Drive were struck by gunfire and investigators located 17 shell casings on scene. This was brought up during conversation; it was reported that there were 13 impulses on ShotSpotter during the incident. 

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