BHS' Berkshire Medical Center Receives Healthgrades Awards in Four Categories

07:17AM / Wednesday, November 11, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has announced that Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) has earned top honors from Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use to find a doctor or hospital.

Berkshire Medical Center has achieved two Specialty Excellence Awards—one for outpatient joint replacement and one for surgical care. These recognitions place BMC among the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide in each category. BMC also earned five Five-Star Ratings for outstanding performance in heart attack treatment, treatment of diabetic emergencies, hip replacement, hip fracture, and outpatient knee replacement.

"Our CARE values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence are at the heart of our commitment to providing exceptional specialty care at Berkshire Medical Center," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "By investing in our people, technology, and clinical practices, we continue to strengthen the quality, safety, and patient-centered care we provide. These recognitions from Healthgrades reflect the dedication of our entire team to delivering the highest level of care to our community."

Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance strictly on objective clinical outcomes–risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates–across more than 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide.

Healthgrades' 2027 analysis revealed that if all hospitals performed at the level of five-star rated facilities during the 2023-2025 study period, 227,229 lives could have been saved and 158,138 complications could have been avoided.

Statistical averages based on Healthgrades' analysis of MedPAR data for years 2023 through 2025 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.

"Finding a hospital that excels in a given procedure or treatment can transform a patient's health trajectory," said Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. "We're proud to recognize Berkshire Medical Center for its top-tier performance in orthopedics, surgical care, cardiac care, and diabetic emergencies and commend their teams for delivering exceptional patient outcomes when it matters most."

Patients and community members can visit Healthgrades' Specialty Excellence Patient Advocate Center to learn more about how Healthgrades identifies the top-performing hospitals for specialty care.

To learn more about award-winning care at Berkshire Medical Center, visit berkshirehealthsystems.org.

To learn more about how Healthgrades determines the top hospitals for specialty care, view the complete 2027 Specialty Excellence Awards and Ratings Methodology.

Tags: BHS, BMC,

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Pittsfield Proposes 2.64 Tax Rate Hike

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:34PM / Tuesday, November 10, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The proposed tax rate for fiscal year 2027 is less than 40 cents per $1,000 valuation for residential properties and would increase the average property tax bill by about $146 per year.

On Tuesday's City Council meeting agenda is a request from the mayor and Board of Assessors to use a residential factor of .8245 at a shift of 1.75, resulting in a residential tax rate of $17.88 and a commercial, industrial, and personal property tax rate of $37.95.

These matters are typically referred to the Committee of the Whole for deliberation. The proposed rates for residential and commercial are 38 cents and $1.05 more, respectively, from FY26.

The average residential home, valued at $316,792 in FY27, has increased by about $1,500 from the previous fiscal year, and would pay $5,664.24 in yearly taxes.

This is a 2.64 percent, or $145.88, increase.

The average commercial property worth $239,600 saw a $100 increase in value from the previous fiscal year, and would pay $9,092.82 in yearly taxes. This is a $255.27, or 2.89 percent, increase from the previous fiscal year.

The FY27 tax levy of $124,468,317 is a $5.3 million increase from the previous year, or 4.45 percent. There is about $388,000 in excess levy capacity, $2.3 million in new growth, and the levy limit is $124,856,412.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, 11 single-family homes were added to Pittsfield's housing stock this fiscal year, increasing the city's total assessed value by $19,987,600 to $3,592,737,600.

The city lost five two-family homes in 2027, and that housing type decreased by $3.2 million in assessed value, now worth $384,620,400.

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