Penn State Health: 150 years of Caring for the Berks Community

As it celebrates its 150th year serving the Berks Region, Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center has proven its staying power. Recognized among the safest hospitals in the U.S., having earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, St. Joseph Medical Center is a Healthgrades Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Attack, and it’s outperforming the industry in certain quality measures. None of this would have been possible if Monsignor George Bornemann, pastor of St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, had responded differently in 1873 when asked to develop an inpatient hospital in the City of Reading. Together with the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, he answered the call to care for the sick, injured and poor by turning a small, 12-room building into St. Joseph Hospital – a place of healing that would evolve into today’s Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center.

SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS GUIDE NURSING EDUCATION

As the hospital grew, so did the demands on the Sisters of St. Francis. Unable to perform all the nursing care as well as manage the hospital’s administrative and household duties, they began offering nursing training to a few carefully selected women. In 1903, three of these women became the first graduating class of St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing. The program gained momentum, enrollment increased and recognition of its curriculum and teaching methods led to full accreditation in 1956 by the National League for Nursing. The school continued to educate nurses for nearly 35 more years before graduating its final class in 1990.

Today, St. Joseph Medical Center continues to invest in the growth and development of its nurses with the Mae Langan Nursing Awards. Created in honor of a nursing school graduate from the class of 1934, the scholarships are presented annually during its Nurses Week celebration.

ADVANCED, COMPREHENSIVE HEART CARE FOR BERKS COUNTY

After more than a century of growth and innovation, the hospital joined Penn State Health in 2015, increasing access to advanced specialty care for conditions such as cancer, high-risk obstetrics issues and neurologic disorders. Three years later, the health system acquired Berks Cardiology – now in its 50th year serving the region – ensuring patients had access to the most advanced diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions in Berks County.

Penn State Health invests in leading-edge technology so patients don’t need to travel to Philadelphia or Baltimore for the most complex heart and vascular conditions. Recent advancements include new operating rooms designed specifically for cardiac procedures and state of the art cardiac imaging and scanning equipment.

It also continues to recruit expert cardiologists, vascular surgeons and cardiothoracic surgeons. One of its more recent additions is Dr. Bidhya Timilsina, a female cardiologist who is keenly aware of the ways in which heart disease presents itself differently in women than in men and who is better able to understand the subtle clues that female patients may reveal about such possible conditions.

Strong Female Leaders Influence Commitment To Caring

From the early guidance of the Sisters of St. Francis to the women who represent almost half of St. Joseph Medical Center’s current leadership team, strong female role models have helped shape the hospital’s Catholic mission and culture of caring.

Central to that effort are Wendy Clayton, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer; Dr. Kimberly Wolf, Vice President of Medical Affairs; and Alexandria Cirko, Vice President of Mission and Ministry. They have put their support behind a variety of initiatives, including those that target improved patient safety as well as the growth and development of nurses.

“We are honored to continue St. Joseph Medical Center’s legacy of women leaders supporting faith-based health care that heals body, mind and spirit,” said Clayton. “Together, we strive to live our mission and core values in service to our patients and staff.” 2

By Julia Nickey Regional Director, Marketing and Communications Penn State Health