BMC Named to U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity Care

10:41AM / Wednesday, February 05, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) as a 2025 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care.

This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News' Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.

"The exceptional care provided to our maternity patients is exemplified in this national recognition," said Tejas Gandhi, BHS System Vice President and BMC Chief Operating Officer. "The physicians, nurses and staff of the BMC Family Birthplace are prime examples of the outstanding care that BMC's patients can rely on day in and day out."

U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meets their family's needs.

"The BMC Family Birthplace is committed to only the highest standards for our Berkshire families celebrating their newborns," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer. "Our community can count on these dedicated providers using the most advanced maternal child health services and technology to care for birthing parents and their infants."

Berkshire Medical Center's Family Birthplace earned a High Performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as severe unexpected newborn complication rates, birthing-friendly practices and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.

"The hospitals recognized by U.S. News as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care showcase exceptional care for expectant parents," said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. "These hospitals demonstrate significantly lower C-section rates and severe unexpected newborn complications compared to hospitals not recognized by U.S. News."

The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.

For more information, visit U.S. News's Best Hospitals for Maternity Care site.

Tags: BHS, BMC,

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.

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