Berkshire Health Care Facilities Going Smoke-free

PITTSFIELD, NORTH ADAMS — The two primary providers of health care services in Berkshire County, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) and Northern Berkshire Healthcare (NBH), have announced that their facilities throughout Berkshire County will become completely tobacco- and smoke-free in 2009.

This policy includes all of the county’s hospitals — Berkshire Medical Center, Fairview Hospital, and North Adams Regional Hospital — as well as other NBH health care facilities and BHS-owned or leased facilities, such as BHS physician practices, outpatient testing centers, and administrative offices.

To date, BHS and NBH facilities are predominantly tobacco- and smoke-free, with the exception of limited designated spaces. Under the new tobacco and smoke-free initiatives, these facilities, interior and exterior, will be tobacco- and smoke-free.

NBH facilities will be tobacco and smoke free beginning on Jan. 5, 2009, and BHS facilities will be tobacco and smoke free on March 1, 2009.