Fairview Hospital Receives 2026 Women’s Choice Awards

Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Fairview Hospital has been recognized as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience and a Best Hospital for Emergency Care by the Women's Choice Award.

These honors place Fairview among the top 100 hospitals in the nation within its size category, based on number of beds.

Hospitals that prioritize patient experience not only improve outcomes but also build trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships with their communities, stated a press release.

"Fairview's providers and staff can be justifiably proud of these national recognitions, once again validating their commitment to outstanding care," said Anthony Scibelli, Berkshire Health Systems Vice President and Fairview Hospital Chief Operating Officer. "We serve a very tight-knit community and the loyalty our patients and their loved ones have shown and continue to show push us to excellence."

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a positive patient experience is strongly linked to better disease management, treatment adherence, and overall health outcomes. It also boosts employee morale, reduces staff turnover, and helps attract top talent—making it a win-win for patients and providers alike.

"By raising your standards to meet the highest expectations—often held by women—you're giving everyone the best care possible," said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women's Choice Award. "This award is more than a badge of honor. It lifts the entire hospital and all service lines by recognizing the exceptional experience you provide—not only for women, but for all patients."

The Women's Choice Award for Patient Experience is the only national designation that combines HCAHPS survey results with primary research on women's healthcare preferences to identify the top 100 hospitals in each size category.

  • Hospitals are evaluated using a weighted average of the following HCAHPS measures:
  • Communication with nurses and doctors
  • Responsiveness to requests for help
  • Explanation of medications before administration
  • Providing recovery information
  • Cleanliness of rooms and bathrooms
  • Quietness of the hospital environment at night
  • Overall patient recommendation rating

Each year, more than 130 million emergency room visits occur in the U.S., making emergency departments a vital part of the healthcare system. Unlike other hospital departments, ER teams often interact with patients during moments of high stress, fear, and urgency—especially for women caring for children, elderly parents, or themselves.

"Emergency departments can be incredibly stressful, particularly for a mother with a sick child or an older adult facing a medical crisis," said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women's Choice Award. "Women influence 94 percent of all healthcare decisions, and they want to know which hospitals will provide fast, effective, and compassionate emergency care. Our award gives them that confidence."

The Women's Choice Award for Emergency Care is the only national designation that combines clinical performance, patient satisfaction, and women's healthcare preferences to identify top-performing hospitals.

Key criteria include:

  • Time spent in the emergency department
  • Percentage of patients who left without being seen
  • Timeliness of brain scan results for patients presenting with stroke symptoms (within 45 minutes)
  • Performance in treating severe sepsis, a life-threatening condition
  • Trauma center level designation (additional points awarded)

Hospitals must rank in the top 25th to 50th percentile nationally for these measures to qualify.

To learn more, visit www.womenschoiceaward.com.


Tags: BHS,   Fairview Hospital,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

SteepleCats Swept at Home

By Ben McDonoughFor iBerkshires.com Sports
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The North Adams SteepleCats matched the North Shore Navigators through the opening three innings Sunday evening, but a four-run fourth inning proved to be the difference as the Navigators earned a 6-2 victory and a double-header sweep at Joe Wolfe Field.
 
North Shore won Game One of the double-header, 4-2, following a shutout win over the 'Cats on Saturday night.
 
In Sunday's nightcap, North Adams received a strong start from Garrett Gates and solid relief work throughout the evening, but the SteepleCats were unable to overcome North Shore’s decisive offensive outburst in the middle innings.
 
Gates set the tone from the outset, retiring the Navigators in order in the first inning on a pair of groundouts and a pop out. The right-hander continued to keep North Shore off the scoreboard over the next two frames, working efficiently while allowing his defense to make plays behind him.
 
The SteepleCats had opportunities to strike first.
 
Jake Butler drew a walk in the opening inning before Sebastian Rhoades reached base and advanced into scoring position with a stolen base. North Adams again threatened in the second when Colsen Loughren lined a one-out double, but North Shore starter John Milewski worked out of trouble to keep the game scoreless.
 
Neither team found much offensive rhythm through the first three innings as both pitching staffs controlled the pace. Gates retired the side in order in the third, while the SteepleCats continued searching for the timely hit that could break the deadlock.
 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories