Phoenixville Hospital and Reading Hospital have received recognition for having “Platinum” level Respiratory Departments of the Year, from the Pennsylvania Society for Respiratory Care (PSRC). Awarded annually by the PSRC, the Department of the Year Award recognizes outstanding departments managed and staffed primarily by respiratory care practitioners.
Reading Hospital and Phoenixville Hospital are two of only seven departments in PA to receive this notable recognition for the 2022 awards, with Phoenixville Hospital earning Platinum status for the second consecutive year.
“It’s quite an honor to be recognized by the PSRC,” stated Lee Evans, RRT, Director, Respiratory Care Services, Phoenixville Hospital. “Our respiratory therapists work with a diverse population base throughout the hospital. To receive this distinction, particularly during the COVID pandemic, is especially gratifying. It is a testament to everything the Phoenixville Hospital medical staff does every day. This award affirms their advanced skill level in respiratory therapy and their ability to provide effective treatments in a compassionate manner.”
Respiratory therapists at both hospitals applied for the annual award. Recipients are chosen based on criteria that include the percentage of advanced degrees held by staff, the percentage of staff who are AARC members, and annual competency testing of all equipment. The award also rewards evidence of departmental activities that promote public awareness of respiratory care such as health fairs, speaking engagements, and community outreach. Other factors were also considered.
Jennifer Mahone, MHA, RRT-NPS, AE-C, Senior Director of Respiratory Care, Reading Hospital, added, “I’m so proud of the team at Reading Hospital for achieving Platinum status from the PSRC. To know that we’ve been named a ‘Department of the Year’ is meaningful because the team is so committed to every patient's health. Their dedication is demonstrated by this recognition."
President of the PSRC, Matthew Pavlichko, MS, RRT-NPS, said, “The Respiratory Therapists at Phoenixville and Reading Hospitals are very dedicated to their profession and to their community. I’ve known many of them personally for over 20 years, and they are committed to continuing education through the PSRC and providing the best possible care.”
About Tower Health
Tower Health is a regional integrated healthcare system that offers compassionate, high-quality, leading-edge healthcare and wellness services to communities in Berks, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties. With approximately 11,500 employees, Tower Health consists of Reading Hospital in West Reading; Phoenixville Hospital in Phoenixville; Pottstown Hospital in Pottstown; and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, in partnership with Drexel University. Tower Health is strongly committed to academic medicine and training, including multiple residency and fellowship programs, the Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health, and the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences in West Reading. The system also includes Reading Hospital Rehabilitation at Wyomissing; home healthcare provided by Tower Health at Home; TowerDirect ambulance and emergency response; Tower Health Medical Group; Tower Health Providers, our clinically integrated network; and 25 Tower Health Urgent Care facilities across our service area. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.