Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center - Who We Are
Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center is a 204-bed acute care hospital in Bern Township, Pa., that provides patients advanced outpatient and inpatient diagnostic, medical and surgical services, including minimally invasive surgery using the robotic da Vinci surgical system. Outpatient locations are in downtown Reading and throughout Berks County. St. Joseph Medical Center joined Penn State Health in 2015.
St. Joseph Medical Center has earned national accreditations for treatment of chest pain, stroke, heart failure and cancer. It is also a Certified Baby-Friendly Hospital by the Baby-Friendly® Hospital Initiative, a global program that encourages breastfeeding and early mother-baby bonding. In coordination with Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa., St. Joseph Medical Center offers a three-year family practice medical residency program.
St. Joseph Medical Center is committed to Penn State Health’s RITE values:
- Respect
- Integrity
- Teamwork
- Excellence
Integral to our values as a Catholic hospital, we also model these core values:
- Reverence - Profound respect and awe for all creation; the foundation that shapes our spirituality, our relationships with others, and our journey with God
- Compassion - Solidarity with one another; the capacity to enter into another’s joy and sorrow
Our Story
Founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in 1873, St. Joseph Medical Center has provided compassionate care to Berks County residents during good times and bad. Notable achievements include, in the 1930s, becoming the first hospital in the region to obtain an electro-cardiac and stethograph system for heart conditions and an iron lung for respiratory problems and paralysis. In 1967, St. Joseph Medical Center physicians began performing fluoroscopic exams on closed-circuit television.
After joining Penn State Health in 2015, St. Joseph Medical Center expanded its cancer center and added a TrueBeam linear accelerator to provide cancer patients with state-of-the-art, targeted radiation treatment. In 2019, it began a $13.5 million upgrade of its heart and vascular facilities, featuring a hybrid cardiac catheterization laboratory that combines advanced imaging with the surgical functions of an operating room. A new electrophysiology laboratory to treat patients with heart rhythm disorders was completed in 2021. The investments demonstrate St. Joseph Medical Center’s commitment to providing Berks County residents with the latest medical innovations along with personalized care, close to home. Read more about Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center's rich history.
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