Northern Berkshire Healthcare filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Thursday morning, throwing efforts to restore emergency services in North County into uncertainty.
Judge John J. Agostini continued a temporary restraining order on North Adams Regional Hospital to restore emergency services through the auspices of Berkshire Medical Center. The restraining order is continued until a Tuesday hearing in Northampton. Read More ...
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Prioritizes Emergency Services
A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge agreed on Monday that reopening emergency services in North Berkshire was a priority.
Stakeholders in the process — including court-appointed Trustee Harold B. Murphy, attorneys for the state and Berkshire Health Systems and major creditor Wells Fargo Bank — assured Boroff that they were in agreement.
There is a question, however, on where those services could be provided. Read more ...
Patrick on Reopening
Gov. Deval Patrick is fast-tracking Berkshire Medical Center's application to reopen the emergency room at North Adams Regional Hospital.
"What we are trying to do right now is to get at least the emergency department reopened, to continue the hospice and VNA services and to buy some time so there can be a thoughtful analysis of what should come," Patrick said.
Last-ditch efforts to keep at the emergency room doors open at North Adams Regional Hospital have come to naught.
The Emergency Department is closed effective immediately and patients are being diverted to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington.
But even as the last patients were escorted out with tears, the unions at Northern Berkshire Healthcare were urging the community to keep the pressure on elected officials in Boston to do what they could to save the medical services critical to the rural region.
"I'm here because the effect of losing not only over 500 jobs, but of losing a hospital, has a ripple effect that's unreal in our community," said Jeanne Mathews, pointing to the loss of backup for oral surgeons and health-care programs in the schools. "The trickle down, I don't know if people will really fathom until it happens." Read More ...
Open Letter from
the NBH
Board of Trustees
As trustees of Northern Berkshire Healthcare, we share your deep sense of sadness on this day.
We are heartbroken that so many of our friends and neighbors are losing their jobs, and that many more members of our community are facing disruptions in their medical care. Read More ...
After more than 125 years of providing medical care to the Northern Berkshire community, the full-service hospital could not adapt itself to the changing health care environment despite a number of last-minute treatments to staunch the flow of financial losses.
Some 530 full- and part-time employees will lose their jobs, but the hospital's closure will reverberate throughout the region, affecting thousands more who have depended on its care for generations. Read More ....
An accident that killed or injured 35 workmen in the Hoosac Tunnel in 1882 emphasized the need for hospital. The building was opened in 1885, largely through donations, and some 1,500 people toured it on opening day.
Northern Berkshire Healthcare officials have been warning for years that the hospital and its affiliated groups are financially fragile. A spending spree around the beginning of the century saddled NBH with what in a few short years would be underperforming properties like the "Sweets" - Sweetwood and Sweet Brook.
In 2005, Cambio Health Solutions was brought in to put in new practices and solve a $2 million deficit.
Since then, NBH has seen its fortunes rise slightly but mostly fall, including defaulting on $40 million in bonds and declaring Chapter 11 in 2011. It also trimmed costs, consolidated and sold off properties. And laid off or eliminated nearly 300 jobs over a decade.
Hospital Closure Leaves North County Wondering
A query on Facebook of how the closure will affect residents, resulted in a flood of "shocked" and "heartbroken" posts by community members unsure of how they will get the medical care they need. Read more ...
Local Reactions Continue Over Hospital's Closing
"If you want do anything, you have to fight. If you don't get hundreds of people, it means they really don't care," Wilber said. "If people want it to be open, they've got to be willing to fight to keep it open." Read more ...
Looking for Solutions
State Officials Scrambling
to Keep Emergency Services
State and local officials are scrambling to find a solution to the financial woes of NBH.
"My understanding is that Gov. Patrick basically told his secretaries two words: 'Fix it,'" Mayor Richard Alcombright told a meeting of local clergy on Wednesday. "Hopefully things will be able to be restored to some level."
On Beacon Hill, Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, and Rep. Gailanne Cariddi have been brainstorming options with legislative leaders as Friday's deadline approaches for the closure of the hospital.
Mayor Richard Alcombright met with local religious leaders at First Baptist to discuss aiding the community and quelling anger toward the North Adams Regional Hospital's possible closing.
The Rev. David Anderson of added that a religious presence might provide comfort to angry citizens.
The commonwealth's governing authority confirmed on Wednesday that the timetable proposed by Northern Berkshire Healthcare is atypical, but it reported no immediate plans to block the closure.
But Attorney General Martha Coakley said she is looking at ways to keep the hospital's doors open — at least in the near term.
The decision to close North Adams Regional Hospital after more than 125 years caused plenty of anger — not the least of which has been directed at the timing of the decision.
The health insurance counseling program will remain open this weekend to help NBH employees seeking coverage
♦ Call 413-663-8711 to make an appointment
♦ Appointments run 30 to 60 minutes
♦ The program has to move out of the Doctor's Building and will be closed Thursday and Friday, April 3 and 4.
♦ A new location has not yet been determined
Judge Orders Hospital
ER to Stay Open
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Berkshire superior court judge on Thursday afternoon ordered that North Adams Regional Hospital keep its emergency department open at least for the next week.
Berkshire Medical Center has established a 24/7 "CareLine" for Northern Berkshire patients and health care providers to answer questions about scheduling and/or access to health-care services. Callers may use the toll-free number, 855-262-5465, day or night.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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State Fire Marshal Offers Cold Snap Heating Safety Tips
STOW, Mass. —With temperatures expected to dip into the teens overnight this week, Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine is reminding residents to stay warm safely and protect their loved ones from some of the most common home heating fires.
"We're expecting very cold weather in the nights ahead, and home heating appliances will be working overtime," said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. "Heating equipment is the leading cause of carbon monoxide at home and the second leading cause of residential fires. Whether you're using gas, oil, solid fuel, or space heaters to keep warm, be sure you keep safe, too."
State Fire Marshal Davine said there were nearly 6,000 heating fires in Massachusetts from 2019 to 2023. These fires claimed eight lives, caused 139 injuries to firefighters and residents, and contributed to over $42 million in damage. And in 2023 alone, Massachusetts fire departments reported finding carbon monoxide at nearly 5,000 non-fire incidents.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Every household needs working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of their home. Check the manufacturing date on the back of your alarms so you know when to replace them: smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced after 5 to 10 years depending on the model. If your alarms take alkaline batteries, put in fresh batteries twice a year when you change your clocks. If it's time to replace your alarms, choose new ones from a well-known, national brand. Select smoke alarms with a sealed, long-life battery and a hush feature.
Natural Gas and Oil Heat
If you have a furnace, water heater, or oil burner, have it professionally checked and serviced each year. This will help it run more efficiently, which will save you money and could save your life. Always keep a three-foot "circle of safety" around the appliance clear of anything that could catch fire. Never store painting supplies, aerosol cans, or other flammable items near these appliances. If you smell gas, don't use any electrical switches or devices: get out, stay out, and call 9-1-1 right away.
Residents struggling to pay for heating bills or maintenance may be eligible for assistance through the Massachusetts home energy assistance program (HEAP). No matter what type of heating equipment you use, HEAP may be able to help you pay your winter heating bills or maintain your heating system. All Massachusetts residents are encouraged to explore eligibility for this free program and apply for assistance.
Solid Fuel Heating
If you use a fireplace or a stove that burns wood, pellets, or coal, always keep the area around it clear for three feet in all directions. This circle of safety should be free of furniture, drapery, rugs, books and papers, fuel, and any other flammable items. To prevent sparks and embers from escaping, use a fireplace screen or keep the stove door closed while burning. Use only dry, seasoned hardwood and don't use flammable liquids to start the fire. To dispose of ashes, wait until they are cool and shovel them into a metal bucket with a lid and place it outside at least 10 feet away from the building.
Have your chimney and flue professionally inspected and cleaned each year. Most chimney fires are caused by burning creosote, a tarry substance that builds up as the fireplace, wood stove, or pellet stove is used. If burning creosote, sparks, embers, or hot gases escape through cracks in the flue or chimney, they can cause a fire that spreads to the rest of the structure. Annual cleaning and inspection can minimize this risk. Contact the Massachusetts Chimney Sweep Guild or Chimney Safety Institute of America to identify reputable local companies.
Space Heaters
Keep space heaters at least three feet from curtains, bedding, and anything else that can burn. Plug them directly into a wall socket, not an extension cord or a power strip, and remember that they're for temporary use. Always turn a space heater off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
When purchasing a space heater, select one that's been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing company, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Intertek (ETL). Newer space heaters should have an automatic shut-off switch that turns the device off if it tips over. Unvented kerosene space heaters and portable propane space heaters are not permitted for residential use in Massachusetts, State Fire Marshal Davine said: the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning that they pose is too great.
Monument Mountain's Everett Pacheco took control of the race in the final mile and went on to a convincing Division 3 State Championship on Saturday at Fort Devens. click for more
Mila Marcisz ripped a shot from the top of the 18 that slipped just under the swing of teammate Adele Low and past the Mustangs keeper in the fourth minute of the second overtime to give Mount Greylock a 1-0 win. click for more
Mount Greylock dominated for much of the game, compiling a 17-4 advantage in shots on goal, not to mention numerous Mountie chances that went just wide or high of frame. click for more
Nora Schoeny, Gianna Love and Elyssa Scrimo Sunday led the Lenox girls cross country team to a narrow victory in the Division 2 race at the Western Massachusetts Championships at Stanley Park. click for more
Wahconah High senior Tim Kaley Sunday earned his second Berkshire Classic Championship by shooting a 77 at the Country Club of Pittsfield. click for more
An accident that killed or injured 35 workmen in the Hoosac Tunnel in 1882 emphasized the need for hospital. The building was opened in 1885, largely through donations, and some 1,500 people toured it on opening day.
Residents, union members and clergy plan a vigil for Thursday and Friday mornings. A meeting Wednesday had calls for state intervention.
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