BCC to Offer Free Course for Local High School Students

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PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will offer a free course for Berkshire County high school students called "Introduction to Interpersonal Communication," a three-credit course. 
 
The course, a hybrid of in-person and online learning, will be held Wednesdays, Feb. 9 through May 18, from 6-8 pm. The instructor is Tattiya Maruco, Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Design / Adjunct Faculty – Communications.
 
The class is designed to actively build strategies for effective interpersonal communication with a diverse audience, including conflict management and self-advocacy, by experimenting with language, non-verbal cues and the art of listening. Students should expect presentations, active projects, guest speakers and both large and small discussions in this hands-on class. In keeping with BCC's small class size, the course is limited to 22 students.
 
The course is open to Berkshire County high school students who meet the prerequisite minimum GPA of 2.7, or who successfully achieve a college-level reading and writing placement via the Accuplacer test. Students of all high school grades may enroll, but freshmen and sophomores must qualify by Accuplacer. Students must have access to a computer and internet for assignments. Textbooks will be provided.
 
Masks are required in all indoor spaces at BCC, regardless of vaccination status. In addition, all students taking in-person classes must be fully vaccinated as of Jan. 3, 2022. All faculty and staff are also required to be fully vaccinated.
 
For more information on BCC's Early College program, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/earlycollege.

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BHS Provider Clinics Win MHQP Patient Experience Awards

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) announced that three of its primary care provider clinics have received awards from Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) for being among the top practices in Massachusetts for patient experience in primary care.
 
The "MHQP Patient Experience Awards" is an annual awards program introduced in 2018 by MHQP, a non-profit measurement and reporting organization that works to improve the quality of patient care experiences in Massachusetts. MHQP conducts the only statewide survey of patient experience in primary care in Massachusetts.
 
"The teams at Adams Internists, Berkshire Internists and Lenox Family Health have worked extremely hard to provide their patients with the highest standard of compassionate, patient-centered care," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer. "Berkshire Health Systems is pleased by this recognition, which validates that our patients are receiving the quality communication, care, and support that they deserve, which is our highest priority."
 
Awards were given to top overall performers in adult primary care and pediatrics in each of nine performance categories. Adams Internists of BMC, Berkshire Internists of BMC and Lenox Family Health Center of BMC received recognition for the following awards for adult care:
  • Adams Internists of BMC: Distinction in Assessment of Patient Behavioral Health Issues
  • Berkshire Internists of BMC: Distinction in Patient-Provider Communications and How Well Providers Know Their Patients
  • Lenox Family Health Center of BMC: Distinction in Patient-Provider Communications and Office Staff Professional Experience
"It is not easy for a primary care practice to thrive in the current environment," said Barbra Rabson, MHQP's President and CEO. "We are thrilled to congratulate each of them on behalf of their patients for their exceptional commitment to excellence."
 
"Primary care is the foundation of our health care system," said Julita Mir, MD, MHQP's Board Chair. "The practices from all across the state recognized with this award have distinguished themselves where it matters most – in the experiences of their own patients."
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