Berkshire Health Systems Wins Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Medical Center has been recognized as a 2024 Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award recipient by Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor.

This achievement, along with being a 5-Star recipient for Outpatient Total Knee Replacement for two consecutive years (2023-24), reflects the organization’s dedication to clinical excellence and distinguishes Berkshire Medical Center as one of the nation’s leading hospitals for outpatient joint replacement. BMC is one of 152 hospitals nationwide to receive the Joint Replacement Excellence Award.

“Excellence is a hallmark of BMC’s orthopedic care,” said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems (BHS). “Our community can count on our team’s continuous commitment to providing the highest-quality care for our joint-replacement patients, so they can get back to being active and enjoying the activities they love without pain.”

Dr. James Lederer, chief medical officer and chief quality officer for BHS, added that “this national recognition is validation of the team approach to exceptional care that Berkshire Medical Center and Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates commit to for every patient, every encounter, every day. Using state-of-the-art technology and with the vast experience and expertise of our clinical team, BHS provides the Berkshire community with access to joint care that is second to none.”

To identify the top-performing hospitals for outpatient joint replacement, Healthgrades analyzed patient outcomes at short-term acute care facilities nationwide that offer knee and hip replacement in an outpatient environment. Healthgrades’ analysis found that patients treated at hospitals that have been recognized for excellence in outpatient joint replacement have a demonstrably better chance at a smooth recovery than those treated at hospitals that were not recognized by Healthgrades. Specifically, patients treated at hospitals that received a 2024 Outpatient Joint Replacement Specialty Excellence Award have, on average, approximately 38% lower risk of experiencing a complication than if they were treated at non-recipient hospitals.

“Our clinical team is committed to attaining the best outcomes for all of our patients needing joint-replacement surgery,” said Dr. Kevin Mitts of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates. “All of us are proud to be a part of this and work together to ensure the highest standards.”

Dr. Brad Bowman, chief medical officer and head of Data Science at Healthgrades, added that “Berkshire Medical Center exemplifies what it means to be a leader in outpatient orthopedics by delivering consistently superior outcomes across key outpatient procedures. Patients undergoing outpatient joint replacement at Berkshire Health Systems should feel confident in their decision to seek care from a facility with top marks in their procedure.”