Trauma Center

Designated a Level II Trauma Center, the Hospital's program began in October, 2005, and is the fastest growing Trauma Program in the Commonwealth. Our Trauma Resuscitation Area in N-Building is a state-of-the-art trauma resuscitation area with fully functional trauma bays, with capacity to handle multiple critically injured patients. The Reading Hospital Emergency Department currently sees over 105,000 patients per year, making it the one of the busiest programs in the state.

The Reading Hospital is a member of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) Trauma Network, allowing for a close affiliation with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem. The UPHS Trauma Network is an internationally recognized resource for excellence in trauma center design and performance.

Trauma centers are hospitals with resources immediately available to provide efficient surgical intervention to reduce the likelihood of death or permanent disability. Accredited trauma centers must be continuously prepared to treat the most serious life threatening and disabling injuries. They are not intended to replace the traditional hospital and its emergency department for minor injuries.

All accredited trauma centers must meet a stringent set of requirements. The Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) is the organization responsible for setting the standards for trauma center accreditation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.