BHS Hospitals Nationally Recognized For Cardiovascular Care

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — All three of Berkshire Health Systems’ hospitals – Berkshire Medical Center, Fairview Hospital and North Adams Regional Hospital – have received a total of 16 American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. 

"Achieving 16 recognitions for the exceptional care of cardiac patients shows the enormous commitment that the clinical staff of Berkshire Medical Center, Fairview Hospital and North Adams Regional Hospital have in providing the highest standards of care for our community," said Darlene Rodowicz, Berkshire Health Systems President and CEO.

For 2025, Berkshire Medical Center received a Commitment to Quality Award, signifying a hospital's dedication to high-quality, evidence-based care in areas like stroke, heart failure, and resuscitation, stated a press release. To earn this recognition, hospitals like BMC achieved Silver awards or higher in at least three of the AHA's Get With The Guidelines programs.  

"The many providers and staff at all three BHS hospitals can be proud of this remarkable achievement," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "BMC and Fairview have a long history of Get with Guidelines honors, and after being reopened for just over one-year, North Adams Regional Hospital is continuing that trend of excellence."

Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States, respectively, according to the American Heart Association 2025 Statistical Update. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines. 

Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline put the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. As a participant in Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs, Berkshire Health Systems qualified for the awards by demonstrating how the organization has committed to improving quality care.  

This year, BHS received these achievement awards: 

Berkshire Medical Center

  • Commitment to Quality Award 
  • Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Referring Gold  
  • CAD NSTEMI Bronze 
  • Stroke Gold Plus 
  • Heart Failure Gold Plus, Target: Heart Failure Optimal, Target: Diabetes  
  • Resuscitation Bronze 
  • Resuscitation Target CPR 

Fairview Hospital  

  • CAD STEMI Referring Bronze  
  • Rural CAD STEMI Gold 
  • Rural CAD Non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) Bronze 
  • Rural Heart Failure Silver 
  • Rural Stroke Bronze 

North Adams Regional Hospital

  • CAD STEMI Referring Bronze  
  • Rural CAD STEMI Silver 
  • Rural CAD NSTE-ACS Bronze 
  • Rural Heart Failure Bronze 

Tags: BHS,   BMC,   

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Dalton Board Continues Berkshire Concrete Permit for Fourth Time

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The saga over Berkshire Concrete's special permit persists as the Planning Board last week voted to continue the hearing for the fourth time. 
 
Some movement had been made as the board agreed to close the public hearing and enter into  deliberations, which means no further comments or submissions can be made by the audience or the applicant. 
 
"I know everybody wants to get this done. I do too, believe me, but I think it's best if we review the information we have and the new information we have and make better decisions," said Chair Zack McCain III. 
 
During the prior three meetings, the board asked Petricca Industries, the parent company of Berkshire Concrete, to provide updated, accurate, and clear plans. 
 
Board members said they did not receive the documentations until Tuesday; the hearing was on Wednesday.
 
Petricca Industries' attorney Dennis Egan Jr. of Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook LLP, said that assertion was misleading because the town electronically received the updated documents the prior week and the physical copies were delivered on Tuesday. Town Hall is closed on Friday and there was a snowstorm on Monday. 
 
The board reviewed the updated documents, in addition to the overlay of the 1994 special permit onto the drawing submitted in October, which the board requested Berkshire Concrete create but didn't so a board member did it instead. 
 
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