BMC Adds 'Observation' Beds to North Adams Emergency Department| 01:33PM / Wednesday, January 20, 2016 | |
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The expansion of health care services continues in the city with the addition of two "observational beds" at Berkshire Medical Center's Satellite Emergency Facility.
The limited-use beds at the former North Adams Regional Hospital will offer a level of care that may allow a patient to remain in North Adams for a period of time rather than being transported to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.
"The addition of observation beds in the North Adams Satellite Emergency Facility will provide the appropriate patients and their emergency providers with additional time for testing and treatment at a level that does not require an inpatient admission to a hospital," according to Dr.Ronald Hayden, medical director of the Satellite Emergency Facility and chairman of emergency medicine at BMC. "The providers that will care for these patients are the same that cared for them when they entered the Satellite Emergency Facility, and the beds are located inside the SEF. They are designed to be used for highly selective care for a period under 24 hours, generally between 12 and 16 hours for most patients."
Those experiencing potential serious illness can be monitored for, on average, 12 to 16 hours by emergency department physicians and staff. Placement in an observation bed will be for a narrow list of specific conditions, and dependent upon severity of the individual patient's illness and other potential medical complications. If a patient is experiencing severe illness or injury beyond the scope of observation status, he or she will be transferred to BMC or other appropriate hospital for more extensive care.
The BMC North Adams Satellite Emergency Facility was opened following the closure of the former hospital, and provides around-the-clock care for emergency situations. It is recommended that anyone who uses the Satellite Emergency Facility, if possible, bring their prescription medications with them, or a comprehensive list of those medications, including dosage, so that the emergency providers can provide optimal care.
Since purchasing the bankrupt facility in 2014, Berkshire Health Systems has restored or added 24-hour emergency care, home care and hospice, outpatient imaging and mammography, endoscopy, outpatient orthopedic, urologic and gynecologic surgeries, laboratory services, the Neighborhood for Health and more. The campus is also home to numerous physician practices, including primary care, orthopedics, oncology, cardiology, urology, OB/GYN, renal care and others.
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