Berks county Archives - Page 8 of 22

Reading Hospital Foundation funds new programs at Reading Hospital

The Reading Hospital Foundation is providing funding for seven new programs at Reading Hospital.

Dr. Charles Barbera –

The grants totaling $346,502 will fund:

How Do You Eat An Elephant? will support the stroke therapy program. Patients will be given a small stuffed elephant and a printed copy of the story of a stroke patients strength and resilience. Funding will also be used to create a video of a patient’s successful stroke journey to be shared with recovering patients.
Bike to Beds will support the purchase of in-bed cycling equipment for patients at Reading Hospital to improve function and mobility and aid in recovery of acute patients.
Emotional Support for Pediatric Emergency Room Patients will provide a certified, Child Life Specialist in the Pediatric Emergency Department who will utilize evidence-based tools to reduce fear and anxiety in pediatric patients, especially those patients with developmental disabilities.
Play Catch: An Innovative Approach to Therapy, Mobilization, and Recovery will purchase therapy balls for patients to use during inpatient therapy and then can be taken home by the patient following discharge for additional therapy.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program will train hospital staff who are part of the Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM) on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program will initially focus on training care-for-the caregivers who can then teach other staff in MBSR.

Nurse Call Tracking and Assignment Boards will purchase communication boards for nursing floors to help improve patient communication and safety. The communication boards will help quickly identify call lights and patient requests for assistance.
Pathways Initiative is a series of programs designed to provide healthcare career exploration opportunities for local students. Reading Hospital’s programs have an additional focus on supporting students belonging to racial and ethnic minorities and those that are traditionally underrepresented.

“I thank the Reading Hospital Foundation and the generous donors who make these programs possible,” said Dr. Charles Barbera, Reading Hospital president and CEO. “Our team members are our greatest asset and I am proud this grant program provides them another opportunity and resources to make a direct impact in the care and recovery of their patients.”

Katherine Thornton, president, Reading Hospital Foundation said, “What’s unique about Reading Hospital Foundation is that all generous gifts we receive stay right here in Berks County and benefit our patients, caregivers, family, friends, community, and team members. We are thankful to the grateful patients, community members, and employees that support our efforts to make our community a healthier place to live.”

Tompkins Community Bank names vice president

Tompkins Community Bank has hired Stephanie Rich-Bailey as vice president and branch manager of

Stephanie Rich-Bailey –

the Wyomissing office.

She is responsible for overseeing the branch’s operations, developing consumer and business relationships, and supporting the local community, the bank said.

“Stephanie brings a wide range of expertise to our team,” said Paula Barron, senior vice president and community banking division manager. “From relationship building to top-tier client service, we’re excited to see our team infused with Stephanie’s leadership.”

A resident of Wyomissing, Rich-Bailey has 27 years of financial services experience, most recently with Truist Bank. She received a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and is a graduate of Leadership Berks.

Active in the community, Rich-Bailey is a board member of Keystone Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services.

Reading Hospital reaccredited as Level I Trauma Center

Reading Hospital has received a full three-year accreditation as a Level I Trauma Center from the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF).

said Dr. Charles Barbera, president and CEO at Reading Hospital – submitted

Accredited continuously since 2005, Reading Hospital Trauma Center is the only trauma center in Berks County serving patients with the most life-threatening injuries, the hospital said.

Level I accreditation, the highest level, indicates that the trauma center provides multidisciplinary treatment and specialized resources for trauma patients, conducts trauma research, has a surgical residency program, and treats at least 600 major trauma patients per year, according to PTSF. The new accreditation begins Oct. 1.

The following strengths of the Reading Hospital Trauma program were identified by PTSF:

Administrative Commitment to providing trauma care to the community
Strong trauma faculty
Collaborative and engaged subspeciality liaisons

Full complement of Trauma Advanced Practitioners
Ability to leverage the electronic medical record into patient care optimization
State-of-the-art Trauma Resuscitation Unit and dedicated trauma administration offices
Robust and innovative integration of videotaping of trauma resuscitations to support operating room notification and quality improvement initiatives
Trauma Resuscitation Nursing Support including Trauma Core RNs and Coach Nurses

Injury Prevention and community outreach with dedicated resources

“Congratulations to the stellar Level I Trauma Center team at Reading Hospital,” said Dr. Charles Barbera, president and CEO at Reading Hospital. “When a traumatic injury occurs every second counts and I am so proud that we have the experienced team which provides life-saving care to those in need, right here in our community. In 2021 they evaluated and treated 3,527 patients. Congratulations to the trauma team on this impressive achievement.”

FastBridge Fiber coming to Berks County

Reading-based FastBridge Fiber announced that it is building an all-fiber network to bring internet service to Berks County, with construction starting this fall.

“FastBridge Fiber serves a powerful purpose – enriching the communities in which we serve by connecting people,” CEO Eric Warren said in a release. “We are excited to provide a brand-new, very fast, fiber internet option to residents and businesses in the area who have not had many choices for broadband.”

The company’s internet and transport data services will become available in identified areas beginning in late 2022. Prospective customers can visit FastBridge’s Fiber Check Availability webpage to find additional information and register to be alerted with construction and service updates.

“We welcome the opportunity for the residents and businesses in Berks County to have a new option for broadband services,” Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach added. “FastBridge Fiber building infrastructure in our county to bring fiber-optic internet to our community is very exciting.”

Tower Health names senior vice president and associate medical officer

Tower Health named Dr. John Derderian senior vice president and associate chief medical officer (CMO).

Dr. John Derderian –

In his new role, Derderian will serve as a liaison between administration and medical staff, engaging physicians and advanced practice providers in initiatives to improve clinical quality, safety, and financial results.

He will collaborate with the chief medical, nursing, and quality officers to ensure clinical processes align with the organizational goals for care quality and efficiency. A significant emphasis will be on monitoring and improving performance in quality metrics in the areas of: length of stay, hospital readmissions, and transitions of care, Tower Health said.

Derderian will continue to serve as the physician leader for Hospitalist Services across Tower Health, providing direction and oversight to clinical programs related to Inpatient Care Pathways. He will focus on engaging physicians, advanced practice providers, and nursing in reducing variation in care, while also improving utilization of healthcare resources across Tower Health’s acute care facilities.

Derderian earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Ursinus College, attended Medical School at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in 2003.

He entered private practice in the early days of Hospital Medicine, working at Lancaster General Hospital and Lancaster Regional Medical Center before joining Tower Health in 2012. He served as the medical director for the Observation Unit before taking on the position of chief, Division of Hospitalist Medicine, Department of Medicine at Reading Hospital, and vice president, Inpatient Medicine and Transition of Care Services for Tower Health.

Unique Snacks expanding into Texas market

Reading-based Unique Snacks is expanding its products into the Texas market.

The company is introducing its Original Splits, Pretzel Shells, Sprouted Splits, Sprouted Shells, Multi-Grain Splits, Sourdough Craft Beer Pretzel Rings and other pretzel varieties, as well as its Honey Mustard and German Mustard dips at additional markets and grocery stores throughout the state.

“My family built our business by creating unique healthy pretzels using fewer ingredients and smarter baking to provide customers more flavor,” said Justin Spannuth, COO of Unique Snacks. “As consumer demand for better-for-you snacking options compatible with a variety of dietary constraints continue to increase, we are excited to work with additional grocery stores and food retailers to expand the availability of our signature pretzels and dips to our loyal customers.”

Unique Snacks Original Splits were introduced at approximately 150 stores in the Southern Division of Albertsons Cos. since the beginning of 2022, including Albertsons, Randalls and Tom Thumb locations throughout Texas and Louisiana.

Central Market’s 10 locations are expanding their Unique Snack offerings, Spannuth said. The gourmet grocery store is expanding its offering from Unique Snacks to include Pretzel Shells, Sourdough Craft Beer Pretzel Rings, Honey Mustard and German Mustard Dips.

Central Market is also participating in Unique Snacks’ program with Folds of Honor that raises funds for the nonprofit from each purchase of specially branded packages that Folds of Honor uses to create academic scholarships for the spouses and children of our nation’s wounded and fallen service members.

Unique Snacks’ Original Splits, Pretzel Shells, Extra Dark Splits and Sourdough Craft Beer Pretzels Rings are also available at over 55 pOpshelf locations across six states, including three locations in Texas that are opening this month in McKinney, San Antonio and Watauga. There are also plans for Unique Snacks to be offered at six additional pOpshelf locations as they open later this year.

Tower Health names vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Community Wellness

Tower Health announced today that Desha Dickson has been named vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Community Wellness.

Desha Dickson –

In this new role she will serve as the organizational leader within the system to drive the development, implementation and integration of best practices and resources to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural proficiency within Tower Health.

Dickson will also continue to be responsible to develop and implement initiatives aimed at working with community partners to improve the health of communities served by Tower Health through innovations in health education and community engagement including completing the Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan, Tower Health said.

She joined Reading Hospital in 2011 most recently serving as associate vice president of Community Wellness at Reading Hospital. In this role she worked to design programs and build partnerships to improve health, wellness, and the quality of life in Berks County.

Dickson also helped to initiate the Reading Hospital Street Medicine Program, which provides medical care and links to social services for individuals that are homeless or housing insecure.

She was instrumental in the development of Reading Hospital’s Center of Excellence, which was created with a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Under Dickson’s leadership and guidance, Reading Health received a $4.5 million federal grant aimed at identifying and addressing social determinants of health by creating a “hub” that bridges the gap between Medicare and Medicaid patients’ clinical and social service needs. Reading Hospital is one of only 32 organizations in the country to receive funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to pilot the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) care model, Tower Health said.

Dickson has also created programs that provide local students with educational opportunities in healthcare. She developed an internship program at Reading Hospital that enables local high school students to gain work experience in a variety of departments within the healthcare setting, while advancing their professional skills through monthly seminars covering topics such as interview skills and financial planning.

Prior to joining Reading Hospital, Dickson worked at United Way of Greater High Point in North Carolina, where she was the vice president of Community Impact. She received her master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Eastern University and her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from West Chester University.

Reading Rehabilitation Hospital at Wyomissing receives accreditation

Tower Health’s Reading Rehabilitation Hospital at Wyomissing (RHRW) has received Three-Year Accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for the seventh consecutive time, representing 21 years of certification.

P. Sue Perrotty –

This includes, for the first time, accreditation for the RHRW’s Adult Spinal Cord Specialty Program.

The three-year accreditation applies to five inpatient rehabilitation programs for adults, including:

Adult Spinal Cord Specialty Program
General Medical Rehabilitation,
Amputation Specialty Program,
Brain Injury Specialty Program, and

Stroke Specialty Program.

“Tremendous teamwork is required to receive CARF accreditation, which reflects the Hospital’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of patients,” said P. Sue Perrotty, Tower Health president and CEO. “CARF also recognized that our work environment fosters teamwork and mutual respect among all levels of staff.”

CARF accreditation represents the highest level of accreditation for rehab facilities and shows RHRW’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards, she said. Three-Year Accreditation requires a rigorous peer review process during which RHRW demonstrated to a team of surveyors its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality.

Tower Health announced new vice president for Outpatient Services at Reading Hospital

Robert Paul –

Tower Health announced the promotion of Robert Paul to vice president of hospital-based outpatient services for Reading Hospital.

In this new role, Paul will continue to provide administrative and operational leadership for 24 hospital-based primary and specialty care practices.

He provides administrative oversight to the family medicine, OB/GYN, and psychiatry residency programs. In addition, he will assume oversight of Laboratory Services.

A Berks County native and graduate of Holy Name High School and Alvernia University, Paul began as a phlebotomist in Reading Hospital’s laboratory in 1978. Over the years, he has served in numerous positions – most recently as senior director of Hospital-Based Practices.

Medical Arts Building in Reading undergoes renovations with $2.25 million state funding

Shuman Development Group has received $2.25 million from the state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to improve the Medical Arts Building in Reading.

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver PHOTO/PROVIDED –

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver toured the facility Thursday to see the rehabilitation work.

“The rehabilitation of the Medical Arts Building will have a huge impact in downtown Reading, and I’m glad the Wolf Administration could help make this possible,” Weaver said. “Not only will it create additional space for new businesses, but it also will provide apartments for those who want to live, work and play in the city.”

The project, located at 230 N. 5th St., includes construction of a two-story addition in an adjacent vacant lot and exterior renovations including masonry, window repair and roof replacement. Interior work will include modernization of ground-floor retail space, lobby restoration, utility improvements and the addition of 35 apartments.

“The Art Deco Medical Arts Building is a magnificent 1929 skyscraper that has been mostly vacant since 1976,” said Alan Shuman, president, Shuman Development Group. “It has faced possible demolition several times due to some structural issues but with the state’s assistance we can finally restore this grand building back to its original grandeur.”

The Medical Arts Building was originally constructed as office space for doctors and dentists. The 12-story, 93-year-old building has been vacant since the 1980s, until this current project to renovate it into residential apartments and retail space.

Weaver said that the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funds support critical expansion projects, providing opportunities for additional employment training, job creation, and community services across the commonwealth.

Pennsylvania invests $8.25 million in Reading formula manufacturer

With the infant formula shortage continuing to be a problem in the U.S., Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has announced an additional $8.25 million investment in ByHeart.

ByHeart is the nation’s newest FDA-registered baby formula manufacturer and is located in Reading..

The investment will support increased capacity and hiring that will ultimately feed up to 500,000 more babies.

“I promised to do everything I can to support Pennsylvania families, this $8.25 million investment does just that by allowing ByHeart to continue scaling up their business and nourishing more babies,” said Wolf. “What ByHeart is doing is amazing and innovative, I’m proud to invest in them and that they chose Pennsylvania as home.”

The $8.25 million investment brings the state’s total investment in ByHeart to $10 million. The money is coming through the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP).

“We are in a period of unprecedented demand and are incredibly proud to be in a position – as both the first new infant formula manufacturer to be registered by the FDA in 15 years, and as a company dedicated to farm-to-formula oversight and quality – to be able to pull levers to increase capacity and scale as quickly as possible to support parents during this challenging time,” said ByHeart Co-Founder and President Mia Funt.

The initial $1.75 million RACP investment enabled ByHeart to complete their canning line and dry blend area at their new facility in Reading, contributing to the supply chain ByHeart has built, as the fifth infant formula manufacturer in the United States and the first new FDA-registered manufacturer to hit the market in more than 15 years. The state investment also supports the creation of 50 new jobs in Reading.

Tower Health hires vice president and chief technology officer

Tower Health has hired Thomas Bartiromo as vice president and chief technology officer.

Thomas Bartiromo PHOTO/PROVIDED

In his new role, Bartiromo will lead the service desk, field services, media services, client systems, voice system engineering, network engineering, and systems engineering IT teams.

Bartiromo is a focused leader providing an engaging professional spirit and operational experience to drive performance, inspire employees, and establish business partnering relationships built on mutual respect, Tower Health said.

Prior to joining Tower Health, Bartiromo served as the senior director of Service Delivery & Optimization at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) where he provided enterprise-wide direction for device administration, support services, service bars, service center, IT service management, and business continuity services.

He also was the Chief Innovation Officer for the Healthcare Division, at the New Jersey Innovation Institute, and served as interim CTO at Hartford HealthCare before joining CHOP.

Bartiromo received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Brick Computer Science Institute in New Jersey.

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FastBridge Fiber coming to Berks County

Pennsylvania invests $8.25 million in Reading formula manufacturer