CHP Berkshires Expands Primary Care Team

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Michelle Bedard, FNP and Sharon Bigler, FNP
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — CHP Berkshires has expanded its primary care practice with new clinicians at practice locations in North Adams and Lee.
 
Michelle M. Bedard, Adult Acute Care Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, has joined the primary care team at CHP North Adams Family Medical, where she will care for patients 13 years and older. 
 
She earned her doctor of nursing degree from Elms College, concentrating on adult-gerontology acute care and earning certification in this specialty. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing at Southern New Hampshire University and earlier received her associate degree in nursing from Berkshire Community College (BCC).
 
She also received training as a licensed practical nurse at BCC, where she earned a Clinical Excellence Award in 2014. 
 
Bedard completed her advanced practice nursing rotations at Berkshire Medical Center in the ICU and as a hospitalist. As a registered nurse, she worked for eight years in the BMC emergency department, and previously she worked as a licensed practical nurse and as a certified nursing assistant. 
 
Bedard is a resident of Adams, where she lives with her two sons.
 
Sharon K. Bigler, a family nurse practitioner, has joined CHP Lee Family Practice, where she will care for patients of all ages.
 
She earned her doctorate of nursing practice at the University of Tulsa (OK), where she also received her bachelor of science in nursing. Prior to earning her DNP, Sharon was a critical care nurse, working for 15 years in medical-surgical, cardiovascular, burn, and neurotrauma intensive care units. Earlier, she worked for two years as a registered nurse case manager.
 
She and her husband reside in Pittsfield.
 

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Big Y Investigates Conn. Skimmer Incident

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Big Y supermarket discovered skimmers in two of its Connecticut stores last month. 
 
In a press release on Monday, the grocery chain said an unknown individual attached a skimming device to one single terminal in each of its Naugatuck and Plainville locations. The skimmers were found on June 29.
 
Skimmers are devices that are illegally installed over or inside card readers at places like convenience stores, fuel pumps and ATMs to steal information off the cards. The FBI estimates that skimming costs consumers and financial institutions more than $1 billion a year. 
 
"We are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident, and we notified and are working with law enforcement. We have inspected all of our terminals, and continue to do so. If we learn that any particular customer's information was compromised, we will promptly notify them and provide them with additional information so that they can take steps to protect themselves," according to Jade Rivera- McFarlin, Big Y's manager of communications.
 
"As a best practice, customers should always review their bank and credit card statements for any signs of fraudulent activity and, if they have any questions or concerns, contact their bank or credit card company directly."
 
The FBI has some tips for keeping your card data safe here
 
If any Big Y customers have questions or concerns about this matter, they can call 1-800-828-2688 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
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