There are four levels of certification by The Joint Commission, with BHS Critical Access Hospitals – Fairview and North Adams Regional – receiving designation as Acute Stroke Ready Hospitals, and Berkshire Medical Center achieving Primary Stroke Center status. “Both Fairview and North Adams Regional’s Emergency Departments provide excellent stroke care, responding quickly and stabilizing stroke patients, who are then transferred to BMC for more comprehensive care,” said Samantha White, BSN, RN, SCRN, Stroke & Sepsis Coordinator at BHS. “BMC has a second-tier level of certification compared to our CAH hospitals, as BMC has a stroke unit, a critical care unit, and on-call neurosurgery. All three hospitals use tele-neurology services from Mass. General Brigham to quickly evaluate stroke patients and provide them with state-of-the-art care, including administration of the latest clot-busting medication, TNK, which is faster than using TPA, helping to prevent long-term disability when used in a timely manner.”

The Acute Stroke Ready Hospital (ASRH) Certification at NARH and Fairview is for hospitals or emergency centers with a dedicated stroke-focused program. Achieving this certification means they’re dedicated to providing stroke care to the community and this patient-centric approach is better for patients, their families and the stroke program. Primary Stroke Center Certification, at BMC, is designed for hospitals providing the critical elements to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients. Primary Stroke Center (PSC) Certification means BMC is making exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes and is a signal to the community the quality of care being provided meets the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients, according to The Joint Commission. Achieving these national certifications was no small feat.  

Additionally, stroke response at BMC, Fairview and North Adams Regional has met or exceeded national benchmarks across key evidence-based stroke measures, including timely treatment, medication adherence, and discharge planning. Also, our sustained recognition through the AHA Get With The Guidelines program reflects consistent performance across multiple nationally benchmarked stroke measures. For 2025, Berkshire Medical Center received a Commitment to Quality Award from AHA, signifying a hospital’s dedication to high-quality, evidence-based care in areas like stroke, heart failure, and resuscitation.