Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates Affiliates with Berkshire Health Systems

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates, a provider of orthopedic care in the Berkshire region, has entered into an affiliation with Berkshire Health Systems.

“Through this affiliation, Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates will be able to preserve and strengthen the availability of orthopedic services across Berkshire County,” said Dr. Kevin Mitts, division chief of orthopedics at Berkshire Medical Center and a surgeon with the practice. “In addition, this agreement gives us critical access to a variety of support services, including assistance in recruiting new physicians and other providers to serve our community’s orthopedic needs. In fact, two new orthopedic surgeons will be joining our practice in the coming months.”

 Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates features doctors Kevin Mitts, Jeffrey Cella, Anthony DeFelice, Mark Sprague, Michael Nancollas and David Grygier. The practice provides comprehensive orthopedic services, including surgical and non-surgical approaches, advanced Joint Replacement surgery for knees, hips, shoulders and ankles, specialized hand surgery and rehabilitation care. 

The physicians of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates are joined by a team of highly specialized physician assistants who are experts in orthopedic care.

This affiliation helps to stabilize the physician practice and ensure continued and expanded access to these orthopedic care services. Growing changes in health-care policy and in the health insurance reimbursement system have challenged the viability of private physician practices. At the same time, health-care systems like BHS are increasingly relied upon to ensure current and future access to critical services for the community by investing in physician practices and ensuring they have the necessary support systems and financial stability and investment to succeed in the long-term. 

By becoming an affiliate of Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates continues to serve its existing patients, but has the enhanced ability to provide access to new patients through the support of Berkshire Health Systems’ intensive physician recruitment program. 

 Daily operations of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates will remain unchanged, and patients will see no differences in their relationship with their individual physician or the practice. Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates will see patients in three locations in the county – in Pittsfield at its 24 Park Street offices on the first floor of the Crane Center for Ambulatory Surgery building; in Great Barrington at Fairview Hospital, in the Doctor’s Building, 27 Lewis Avenue; and at a new office in North Adams, at the North Adams Campus of Berkshire Medical Center. 

 This new affiliation continues many years of collaborative effort between Berkshire Health Systems and the surgeons of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates, to assure the availability of these important services for people in the region.

Rapid Deterioration Fully Closes Peck's Road Bridge

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
07:12PM / Monday, July 22, 2024

Detours have been set because of the closed bridge.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Rapid deterioration of the Peck's Road bridge has led to its closure until further notice and a hopefully expedited process to replace the entire structure.

The bridge was fully closed to traffic on Monday following an inspection from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that found six areas of deterioration. Repair work is slated to begin in August by Rifenburg Contracting Corp. and the city says it continues to work closely with MassDOT on steps ahead.

Work will include demolition and reconstruction of the bridge over Onota Brook that has been reduced to one lane for five years. A detour has been routed from Peck's Road to Onota Street, Vin Herbert Boulevard, and Valentine Road.

"Today, upon a 6-month routine inspection, the state found signs of rapid deterioration and ordered the bridge to be closed," Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales wrote in an email.

"We are now moving towards having the bridge replaced in one go, as opposed to splitting the work in phases and maintaining traffic flow. This has some setbacks but overall the project should be completed faster."

The bid was awarded to the contracting company for $1,535,420 with a 10 percent construction administration budget and a 10 percent contingency budget, bringing the total estimated cost to $1,842,504.

Morales reported that the city has multiple authorizations for funding from previous years and a state Small Bridge grant that will cover all of the costs. He said a schedule will be shared once the contractor finishes changing the construction approach.

Pedestrian access is still available until construction begins.