Reading HOSPITAL Emergency Department Highlights
Reading Hospital established in 1867
West Reading facility is a quaternary hospital located on a beautiful, 36 acre suburban campus.
647+ Beds, 22 Building Complex
The Health System ranks within the top five for patient volume in Pennsylvania.
Level 1 Trauma Center
Busiest Emergency Department in the state of Pennsylvania.
Top 20 in the Nation for patient volume. Over 100,000 patient visits annually.
Emergency Department provides a unique opportunity to train in a high-volume, high-acuity environment in an academic community setting.
One of two hospitals within Berks County serving a population of over 400,000 people with diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
Epic was implemented as our EMR in 2013
Well-equipped and staffed by ancillary services to support the educational mission and clinical workload.
Exceptional access to radiologic testing including three dedicated ED CT scanners, a radiologic suite for plain radiographs, and multiple portable radiography machines.
MRI and ultrasound studies available 24/7. Dedicated ultra-sonographer housed in the ED at all times. Point of care ultrasounds machines available for bedside evaluation.
88,000 square feet with five dedicated treatment areas of varying acuity designed to increase efficiency and throughput.
Dedicated Pediatric Emergency department staffed by Pediatric Emergency Physicians.
Dedicated 24/7 intradepartmental Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Emergency Services
The mission of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program is to educate future Emergency Medicine Physicians to provide evidence-based, accessible, high-quality, cost-effective care in order to advance health and transform lives.
Psychiatric Emergency Services
Our Psychiatric Evaluation Center provides 10 private rooms and additional space for consultation with specialists for patients who are experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis. Patients who arrive via the Reading Hospital Emergency department exhibiting a need for our services undergo an assessment of health, psychiatric condition, social supports, and needs. Our team will then prepare a personalized care plan that includes suggested goals of therapy that is sensitive to individual patient needs, present the plan to the patient, and if necessary, modify it with the patient’s input.
Pediatric Emergency Department
The 16-bed James & Deborah Radwanski Pediatric Emergency Department at Reading Hospital opened in February 2019. The Pediatric Emergency Department also offers:
Highly experienced pediatric physicians, specialists, nurses, and physician assistants
Child-specific medical equipment, as well as specialized equipment for the care of children with autism or other special needs
A carefully designed “play area” for children awaiting treatment, including interactive screens, games, and a virtual fish tank, as well as resources for their families, such as free Wi-Fi access and cell phone charging stations
Specialized programs, such as music therapy, to ease fear and improve outlook
Age-appropriate pain management and distraction techniques
Private family consultation rooms
More efficient flow through the department to reduce wait times
Staffed by fellowship trained Pediatric Emergency Physicians
Our residents have dedicated blocks in the Pediatric Emergency Department as well as shifts throughout their training to provide an additional longitudinal learning experience. This provides an immersive pediatrics experience while observing the seasonality of pediatric emergency complaints. This exciting addition in conjunction with our Level 1 Trauma designation enables exposure to both medical and traumatic conditions of all levels of severity.
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, a partnership between Tower Health and Drexel University, is a 188-bed facility that provides exceptional care to children throughout the Greater Philadelphia area and surrounding counties.
St. Christopher's has more than 220 pediatric experts on staff, combining top-notch pediatric care with a wide array of pediatric specialties including Cardiology, Ear, Nose and Throat, Gastroenterology, Oncology, and Orthopedics. It houses the only Verified Pediatric Burn Center between New York City and Baltimore and is one of only three Level I Pediatric Trauma Centers in Pennsylvania. St. Christopher’s is a Magnet® designated hospital and was recognized as a Women’s Choice Award Best Children’s Hospital.
Our residents have the opportunity to rotate in the Emergency Department, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Anesthesia. We continue to develop opportunities for further education at the St. Christopher’s facility and are eager to have our young physicians learn at this exceptional facility.
Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health
Tower Health has a 20-year academic affiliation with Drexel University. In the summer of 2021, Reading Hospital opened a new branch medical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health in Berks County. The West Reading Campus welcomed their inaugural class of Drexel University College of Medicine students in August 2021. This expanded academic affiliation will provide additional resources and educational experiences for Emergency Medicine residents, faculty, as well as medical students.