BHS Receives Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award

Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) announced that it has been recognized as a 2024 Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award recipient by Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor. 
 
According to a press release, this achievement, along with being a 5-Star recipient for Outpatient Total Knee Replacement for 2 consecutive years (2023-2024), reflects the organization's dedication to clinical excellence and distinguishes Berkshire Medical Center as one of the nation's leading hospitals for outpatient joint replacement. BMC is one of 152 hospitals nationwide to receive the Joint Replacement Excellence Award.
 
"Excellence is a hallmark of BMC's orthopedic care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president & CEO of Berkshire Health Systems (BHS). "Our community can count on our team's continuous commitment to providing the highest quality care for our joint replacement patients, so they can get back to being active and enjoying the activities they love without pain."
 
"This national recognition is validation of the team approach to exceptional care that Berkshire Medical Center and Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates commit to for every patient, every encounter, every day," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "Using state-of-the-art technology and with the vast experience and expertise of our clinical team, BHS provides the Berkshire community with access to joint care that is second to none."
 
To identify the top-performing hospitals for outpatient joint replacement, Healthgrades analyzed patient outcomes at short-term acute care facilities nationwide that offer knee and hip replacement in an outpatient environment. Healthgrades' analysis found that patients treated at hospitals that have been recognized for excellence in outpatient joint replacement have a demonstrably better chance at a smooth recovery than those treated at hospitals that were not recognized by Healthgrades. This includes:
 
  • Patients treated at hospitals that received a 2024 Outpatient Joint Replacement Specialty Excellence Award have, on average, approximately 38 percent lower risk of experiencing a complication than if they were treated at non-recipient hospitals.
  • If all hospitals performed similarly to those receiving five stars, over 20,000 complications could have been avoided.

(Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of SAF data for years 2020 through 2022 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. For more information on how Healthgrades identifies the nation’s top hospitals for outpatient joint replacement, see the 2024 Outpatient Specialty Excellence Awards and Ratings Methodology.)

"Our clinical team is committed to attaining the best outcomes for all of our patients needing joint replacement surgery," said Kevin Mitts, MD, Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates. "All of us are proud to be a part of this and work together to ensure the highest standards."
 
"Berkshire Medical Center exemplifies what it means to be a leader in outpatient orthopedics by delivering consistently superior outcomes across key outpatient procedures," said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer and head of Data Science at Healthgrades. "Patients undergoing outpatient joint replacement at Berkshire Health Systems should feel confident in their decision to seek care from a facility with top marks in their procedure."
 
As outpatient surgical volumes continue to grow, Healthgrades is proud to offer the industry's only outcomes-based outpatient ratings to help patients identify the best care for their needs. Consumers can visit Healthgrades.com to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality.
 

Tags: BHS,   BMC,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories