BHS Expanding Palliative Care Across the Berkshires
When most people hear the term palliative care, they think of end-of-life care for terminal illnesses or conditions. But palliative care actually is much broader, beginning at the time of diagnosis for conditions like cancer, heart disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or kidney disease, and it can work right alongside curative treatments.
Berkshire Health Systems is committed to providing comprehensive palliative care, and thanks to the generous support of donors, has embarked on a three-phase initiative to expand this vital care from south to central and north Berkshire. This all starts with a strong foundation of clinical expertise. Nearly 300 nurses, social workers, care managers, and providers within BHS have undergone specialized training in serious illness communication and whole-person care through the national Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC).
This work was further strengthened by in-person education from Dr. Anup Bharani of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who provided guidance on helping patients and families navigate complex decisions with clarity and compassion. At the same time, BHS is working to ensure that palliative care is better understood beyond clinical settings.
“Many patients and family members first learn about palliative care during a crisis, when decisions can feel overwhelming,” said Christopher Clark, MD, lead Hospitalist at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington. We are developing community education efforts designed to increase awareness of palliative care services, the support they provide, and how patients and families can begin conversations about accessing this care earlier in the illness or condition. A key component of this effort involves a dedicated outpatient palliative care pilot program.”
That program is led by Dr. Clark, Nurse Practitioner Sophia Veinoglou, and Tony Scibelli, Chief Operating Officer of Fairview. With start-up funding from the Healthier Together Campaign, BHS launched the three-phase outpatient palliative care pilot program. Additional funding is needed to support all aspects of the program that is designed to bring this vital service to patients and families throughout South, Central, and North Berkshire.
“The program will be anchored by a full-time, palliative care-certified nurse practitioner in Berkshire County,” said Veinoglou. “This marks an important milestone toward a system-wide model that will ultimately bring palliative care to patients wherever they receive care.”
Research consistently shows that patients who receive palliative care experience improved quality of life, fewer symptoms, and greater satisfaction with their care. Through this phased expansion, Berkshire Health Systems is reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that every patient receives not only excellent medical treatment, but also compassionate, personalized support when it matters most.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.
All facts in this article were gathered by writers employed by Berkshire Health Systems. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information for clarity and presentation. This information is fact-checked by BHS staff before being published.