Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) commemorated the reopening of North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH) with a ribbon cutting ceremony, held on Thursday, March 28, marking 10 years to the day that the former NARH closed under previous ownership. The ceremony, held outside of NARH, featured comments from Berkshire Health Systems leadership as well as US Representative Richard Neal, Massachusetts Health & Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh, and several other state and local officials.

“The reopening of North Adams Regional Hospital is a historic opportunity to advance the health and wellness of the Northern Berkshire community,” said Darlene Rodowicz, President and CEO of BHS. “Expanding access to care for North Berkshire through a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is a key part of our strategic plan; we are thankful to Congressman Neal and his Massachusetts colleagues in the House and Senate, our Berkshire state legislative delegation, the municipal leaders across North Berkshire and the many people in the community who have steadfastly supported our plans to reopen NARH to provide the highest standard of care that the North Berkshire community expects and deserves.”

Congressman Neal was instrumental in changes to the CAH criteria that allowed NARH to be eligible for CAH designation, which are granted by the federal government and limited to small, rural facilities that meet certain criteria to qualify for federal support in maintaining services that would otherwise not be financially and/or operationally viable. NARH had previously been ineligible from being designated a CAH in 2014, when it originally closed under previous owners.

“Throughout my career in public life, I have stood by the notion that legislation changes lives. Today’s announcement is a living example of that belief, as the reopening of North Adams Regional Hospital will have a profound impact on communities throughout North County for years to come,” said Congressman Neal. “There are stark inequities in rural and underserved communities as it relates to our nation’s health system. That is why I have long advocated for changes that will address health equity and allow everyone to have a fair and just opportunity to achieve their highest level of health, regardless of who they are or where they live. I am pleased that after working alongside the Biden Administration, we were able to make substantial progress in this endeavor by changing the designation criteria for Critical Access Hospitals. This change is what ultimately allowed North Adams Regional Hospital to reopen, and I am thrilled that communities in my district will be a significant benefactor.”  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will be surveying the hospital’s inpatient unit for the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a step that is required prior to certifying NARH as a CAH. The final timeline for that unannounced survey is expected to occur in the near future.

“Through BHS’s coordinated system of care, North Adams Regional Hospital will partner with Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital, the nationally recognized Critical Access Hospital serving south Berkshire, to provide comprehensive healthcare services across Berkshire County,” said Laurie Lamarre, Vice President for NARH. “We look forward to the future of NARH– our entire staff is proud to expand access to care as part of our mission to advance health and wellness for everyone in our community.”