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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Pittsfield Considers Heavy Vehicle Excusion on Appleton Ave.

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Heavy commercial vehicles might be banned from driving on Appleton Avenue from East Street to East Housatonic Street in the future. 

On Thursday, the Traffic Commission fielded a petition from Ward 4 Councilor James Conant requesting an exclusion for large commercial trucks on the route, which runs next to Pittsfield High School and through a residential neighborhood. 

City Engineer Tyler Shedd explained that the city would have to conduct a traffic study first. He agreed to have that data collected by summertime, and the petition was referred to his office. The exclusion would also have be OKed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. 

"I think it's something where maybe we can discuss it here, because trucks are trying to avoid the corner of South and West Housatonic Street, which had barriers for years, and then we put a bump out there," Shedd said. 

"There's a designated truck route that just doesn't get followed, and there's been attempts at improving signage." 

He said the concern is trucks turning from Appleton Avenue to East Housatonic Street without enough room. This often means cars have to get out of the way or run a red light. 

In 2022, the commission approved a petition to exclude heavy commercial vehicles on Deming and East Housatonic Streets. Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey pointed to previous years' efforts to exclude heavy commercial trucks from the area. 

"I don't disagree with [Conant] at all," he said. 

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