To the editor: Each May, Berkshire Health Systems proudly celebrates National Hospital Week (May 12-18), when we highlight our hospitals, our health system and the extraordinary dedication of our BHS employees.
While our services span across the region, our team of more than 4,000 is united under one shared mission, vision and set of values. We work together each day to achieve our systemwide mission to “advance health and wellness for everyone in our community in a welcoming, inclusive and personalized environment.”
We have so much to celebrate this year. We launched our new BHS Nurse Line, which is already helping us better connect community members with the right level of care at the right time. We celebrated notable milestones, including the 10th anniversary of Phelps Cancer Center and Fairview Hospital’s 12th consecutive Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Health Grades. The team also made strides in our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, engaging in productive discussions with our employees and the broader community, as well as launching a new Community Code of Conduct that seeks to create safe, welcoming care environments for all. These are just a few of the many accomplishments that demonstrate the dedication of our BHS caregivers and employees, who never shy away from a challenge — each individual throughout our system of care contributes to BHS’s success.
We are also extremely proud to have successfully reopened North Adams Regional Hospital. After 10 years, we were able to bring inpatient services back to North County, a meaningful step to improve health outcomes for patients and improve the overall quality of life for the region. This was a huge step as part of our larger strategic plan to increase access and support our coordinated system of care, and we cannot wait to see what we will accomplish in the coming years with the hard work and support of our BHS team.
I am immensely proud of our staff’s hard work and continued compassion in serving our Berkshire County community. Please join BHS’s leadership, board of trustees, and me in celebrating our BHS employees as they continue to make the Berkshires a healthier, happier place.
Darlene Rodowicz, Cheshire
Darlene Rodowicz is president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems.