The Friends of Reading Hospital announced Monday that they will provide $241,239 in grant funds to aid hospital departments. The donations will provide support for:
A new Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab). The Friends of Reading Hospital will donate $150,000 towards the $2.1M goal for a fully upgraded Cath Lab, a project of the Reading Hospital Foundation. The new Cath Lab will allow the team to continue to provide minimally invasive tests and procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease with the highest levels of technology and quality.
New catheters in the Cardiology department. With the upgraded catheters, those undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures will have an overall improved patient experience.
HeartSAFE Berks County to replenish supplies for the CR-Plus and CR2 Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices for first responders. CR-Plus is a fully automatic AED with a simple two-step process and the CR2 AED is the only AED system that allows chest compressions during ECG rhythm analysis.
Two electric bikes will be donated to the West Reading Police Department and the Reading Police Department, allowing bike patrol officers to arrive at the scene more quickly.
Reinstatement of Reading Hospital’s Bike Share Program by the Community Wellness Department. The program provides an opportunity for staff to select a safe, active mode of transportation that is better for the environment and provides physical health benefits while exploring the local community.
Reading Hospital’s Children’s Health Center’s Reach Out and Read (ROR) program, which encourages reading among children and families in our community ages 2-months to 8 years of age. Through the ROR program, the Children’s Health Center can continue to place 100 new and developmentally appropriate books per week into the hands of children in our community throughout the next year.
An ice cream cart that will support connection between leadership and staff at the hospital. Senior Executives will take turns each month visiting various departments on every shift to meet with employees and deliver ice-cream to show appreciation for Tower Health’s dedicated staff.
Commenting on the donation to support radial artery catheter upgrades, Charles F. Barbera, MD, Reading Hospital president and CEO said, “Since making the change to a transradial approach for our cardiac catheterization process, we have seen tremendous improvement in our success rates and overall patient satisfaction. We are so grateful to The Friends of Reading Hospital for their generous donation so that we can improve our equipment to better reflect our process and continue to provide excellent care for our community.”
The Friends of Reading Hospital is an association of passionate community leaders dedicated to raising funds that support and enhance Reading Hospital’s promise of delivering the highest level of care to our community. Through their health and wellness programs, grants, and various initiatives, The Friends have made a powerful and sustainable impact on the hospital, patients, and surrounding community.
Sharon Keating, President, The Friends of Reading Hospital, added, “We are proud to be able to provide financial support to initiatives within our hospital. It is thanks to the thoughtful and generous contributions of our donors and sponsors that allow us to continue our mission of supporting the health and well-being of our community.”
