BHS Launches Nurse Line to Support Patient Access to Care

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PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) announced the launch of the BHS Nurse Line, a new service that offers community members access to a free, easy-to-use phone line, staffed by experienced Berkshire Health Systems nurses. 
 
Patients can call 855-855-2000 from 8am-4pm Monday through Friday, and the BHS Nurse Line team will help patients determine whether they should rush to the nearest Emergency Department, go to BHS Urgent Care, schedule a virtual visit, or call to make an appointment with an office-based primary or specialty care provider.
 
"During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we used the BHS COVID hotline to help thousands of people in the Berkshires get tested, treated, and vaccinated," said Darlene Rodowicz, BHS President and CEO. "We found that this service was incredibly effective in reaching patients across our community, and we are committed to advancing this very personal, patient-focused model of care for the region. We understand that illness or minor injuries can happen any time, and finding the right care can sometimes feel overwhelming – we created the BHS Nurse Line to meet this challenge head on."
 
Robert Shearer, Administrative Director of BHS Urgent Care will manage the Nurse Line and lead the team of dedicated nurses aiming to provide each caller the support they need from basic health questions, to act as a bridge for patients in-between primary care providers by helping them schedule Urgent Care visits, either in-person or virtually.
 
"Berkshire Health Systems is the leading provider of care across the region, and we are proud to serve patients across Berkshire County and beyond," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer. "The BHS Nurse Line is an important part of our commitment to our mission—to advance health and wellness for everyone in our community, and we are excited to see how this new service will make navigating certain health care situations as easy as picking up the phone."
 
In addition, the clinicians on BHS Nurse Line will help fill other important roles in the health system, including following up with patients about certain types of test results, and providing guidance and support for the more than 1,000 patients community who rely on Warfarin, a blood-thinning medication commonly prescribed for cardiac care.
 
For more information on the BHS Nurse Line, visit berkshirehealthsystems.org/nurseline.

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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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