Tower Health doctors work alongside patients every day, ordering tests, talking with families, and saving lives. Their dedicated work, diligence, and relationships are critical for successful patient outcomes. Tower Health encourages the community to recognize and thank doctors for their dedication on March 30, National Doctors' Day.
Tower Health doctors are known for their compassionate, personalized, and attentive care. The health of their patients is their priority, and their journey becomes intertwined with that lifelong dedication to healing. Their patients are the reason our doctors continue to practice.
“Emergency Medicine, and then Street Medicine, offer opportunities to serve those in crisis while also positioning myself to be a strong advocate for social change," said Haleh Van Vliet, MD, Medical Director, Pottstown Street Medicine, and Emergency Medicine physician at Pottstown Hospital. “My parents and older sisters nourished a deep understanding of the injustices in the world, while also fostering my belief that things can improve. Ultimately, I hope to leave the world at least a slightly better place than it might have been without me, and understand what it means to be human.”
S. Luke Kusmirek, MD, Chief, Division of Cardiology, Phoenixville Hospital, said, “I started off as a philosophy student before I landed in medical school. Once there, I became more focused on the practical applications of the medical sciences. I later chose the field of cardiology, based on its immediate, and profound impact on the often critically ill patient.”
Anthony Donato, MD, Internal Medicine, Reading Hospital, shared, “I became a doctor to play my part in another’s struggle, and to offer the gift of healing that might mend a body and patch a soul.”
Bernice Robinson-Bennett, MD, Chief, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, added, “I knew that I wanted to serve in the field of medicine to help others maintain or regain their health. To me, it has been a calling that I look forward to each day, with humility, and reverence. I am thankful for the patients who entrust their care and lives to us.”
P. Sue Perrotty, Tower Health president and CEO, said, “Our physicians are known for the clinical excellence, compassion, and high-quality care they provide to patients. I thank them today, and every day, for following their calling to heal, and for choosing to share their talents with Tower Health and the individuals in our community.”
Doctors’ Day was first celebrated in 1933, in Winder, Georgia, by Dr. Charles B. Almond’s wife, Eudora Brown Almond. She wanted a way to recognize physicians for their hard work, so she organized the community to send greeting cards and place red carnations on the graves of deceased doctors. March 30 was chosen to honor the anniversary of the first surgery in which ether anesthesia was used by Dr. Charles Long. On February 21, 1991, President George H.W. Bush proclaimed National Doctors’ Day.
About Phoenixville Hospital
Located in Phoenixville, Pa., and a member of Tower Health, Phoenixville Hospital is a 144-bed facility that provides comprehensive medical services through emergency room visits, inpatient admissions, outpatient procedures, and community outreach programs. Phoenixville Hospital’s services include an award-winning cardiovascular program, a fully accredited cancer center, an NAPBC-accredited breast health center, an acute inpatient rehabilitation center, and a large robotic surgery center. Phoenixville Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission and has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across service lines that include joint replacement surgery, advanced heart failure care, and the designation as a Primary Stroke Center. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.
About Pottstown Hospital
Located in Pottstown, Pa., and a member of Tower Health, Pottstown Hospital is a 219-bed hospital that offers a full range of health services, including inpatient and outpatient, medical and surgical, and diagnostic and emergency care. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Pottstown Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across many service lines. The Hospital is Joint Commission-certified for hip and knee replacement and is also an accredited Chest Pain Center. Recently, Pottstown Hospital was recognized as a recipient of Get with the Guidelines/American Heart Association/American Stroke Association – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. The Cancer Center at Pottstown Hospital is also nationally recognized, bringing over a decade of award-winning care to our region. The Pottstown Hospital Emergency Department, a Primary Stroke Center, is the second busiest in Montgomery County, seeing more than 45,000 patients a year. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.