BMC Earns U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals Awards

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Medical Center has been named among U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 Best Hospitals edition as a High Performing hospital for Pneumonia and Kidney Disease care.

These are the highest distinctions a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News' Best Hospitals Procedures & Conditions ratings. Earlier this year, BMC was also recognized as a US News & World Report Best Hospital for Maternity Care.   

U.S. News' annual Procedures & Conditions ratings are designed to assist patients and their health care providers in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures.

"The providers at Berkshire Medical Center are committed to the highest standards of care, and these recognitions for Kidney Disease and Pneumonia reflect that promise to our community," said James Lederer, MD, Berkshire Health Systems Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "Our patients being treated for Kidney Disease and Pneumonia can be confident they are in the best hands."    

"For more than three decades, U.S. News has been an invaluable guide for patients," said Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis Ben Harder at U.S. News. "Hospitals designated as ‘High Performing' by U.S. News demonstrate a consistent ability to provide excellent care for particular medical procedures and conditions, showcasing their specialized expertise as well as dedication to exceptional patient outcomes."  

U.S. News evaluated more than 4,400 hospitals across 15 adult specialties and 22 procedures and conditions; only one third of them earned an award. To determine the Best Hospitals, U.S. News analyzed each hospital's performance based on objective measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications and level of nursing care. The Best Hospitals Specialty rankings methodology and Procedures & Conditions ratings methodology measure patient outcomes using data from over 800 million records of patient care.   

 


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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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