BHS's Berkshire Medical Center Earns an 'A' Hospital Safety Grade

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PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Berkshire Medical Center, the community teaching hospital of Berkshire Health Systems, has earned an "A" Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety.

Leapfrog assigns an "A," "B," "C," "D" or "F" grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.?? 

"The care and safety of our patients is paramount at Berkshire Medical Center," said James Lederer, MD, Berkshire Health Systems Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "This 'A' Hospital Safety Grade is a clear affirmation of the high quality of care provided by our healthcare team and a recognition of our commitment to excellence in serving the Berkshire community."? 

"Achieving an 'A' Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "I extend my congratulations to Berkshire Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first."  

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.? 

To explore Berkshire Medical Center's full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.  


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Dalton Redevelopment Authority Seeks to Attract Veterinarian

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Dalton Redevelopment Authority is looking at revamping zoning to make it easier for a veterinarian to open an office. 
 
This was prompted by resident Kevin Herkelman, an animal nutritionist who worked with veterinarians before retiring and moving to the area about a year ago.
 
He and his wife have many animals and found that area vet offices weren't accepting new patients or were booked out for a long time.
 
"When we moved here, we were looking for a vet. We have five dogs and a cat. I used to show dogs and things like that. When we tried to find a vet, we had a hard time even finding people taking new clients. So we ended up going over to Northampton. That's where we still are," he told a recent meeting of the authority.
 
He said it's more difficult to have to travel far, and even if residents have a veterinarian, it's likely in Pittsfield so they have to leave town. 
 
Currently a veterinary office is only allowed in a B1, R1, or I1 zone and must be 100 feet from a boundary.
 
Herkelman and Chair John Boyle have been looking for a suitable location to entice a vet to come to the area but zoning has been an issue as it is very restrictive. 
 
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