Berkshire Medical Center Recognized for Patient Safety

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Medical Center has been awarded an ‘A’ grade for patient safety by the Leapfrog Group, and is one of only 182 hospitals nationwide to have achieved straight-A grades since the initiative was launched in June 2012.

The grades are issued twice each year, in the fall and spring, and are the gold-standard rating for patient safety, compiled under the guidance of the nation’s patient safety experts and administered by the Leapfrog Group, a national, nonprofit hospital-safety watchdog.

“This consistent performance in patient safety as documented by the Hospital Patient Safety Score validates the commitment of Berkshire Medical Center, our physicians, nurses, technologists, and all staff to provide nothing but the highest standard of care for our community,” said David Phelps, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems.

According to the Leapfrog Group, “an A grade is one of the most meaningful honors a hospital can achieve, and one of the most valuable indicators for patients looking for a safe place to receive care. Since the onset of the Hospital Patient Safety Score in the spring of 2012, the publicly available data shows Berkshire Medical Center consistently exceeded the standards of other medical institutions in terms of patient-safety procedures in place.”

The Hospital Patient Safety Score issues A, B, C, D, or F grades to all U.S. hospitals based on publicly available data on patient safety.