Hillcrest Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Wins National Award

PITTSFIELD — The American Health Care Assoc. and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently announced the selection of Hillcrest Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center as a recipient of the 2017 Silver – Achievement in Quality Award for its outstanding performance in the healthcare profession.

Hillcrest Commons is one of only nine facilities in Massachusetts, and one of 191 facilities in the nation, selected to receive the Silver Award in 2017. The competitive program highlights select centers across the nation that serve as models of excellence in providing high-quality long-term care.

“We are proud to have received the Silver Award, and we’re pleased that an independent panel of examiners saw the high value we place on quality care and service excellence,” said Delores Duncan, administrator at Hillcrest Commons, which is an affiliate of Berkshire Healthcare. “Our focus at Hillcrest has always been on people. We want to continue to evolve our quality care and service to even greater heights.”

Fifteen of Berkshire’s skilled-nursing and assisted-living facilities have earned the Bronze award from AHCA/NCAL, while 13 have also reached the Silver level, and two hold the distinction of the Gold award, the highest level in the program.

“We congratulate the entire Hillcrest team on this achievement,” said Bill Jones, president of Berkshire Healthcare. “It’s a great example of how we are advancing quality across our affiliates, with more and more Berkshire facilities earning recognition for quality care.”

Based on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program challenges member providers to achieve performance excellence through three progressive levels — Bronze, Silver, and Gold. At the Silver level, members develop and demonstrate effective approaches that help improve performance and healthcare outcomes.

“It takes incredible dedication and passion to successfully apply the demands of the criteria,” said Christine Boldt, chair of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award board of overseers. “I applaud Hillcrest Commons for reaching this level and for its commitment to always improve.”

As a recipient of this year’s award, Hillcrest Commons can now advance in developing approaches that meet the criteria required for the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award.

The awards will be presented to honorees on Oct. 17 during AHCA/NCAL’s 68th annual Convention & Expo in Las Vegas.