Reading Hospital will kick off National Hospice and Palliative Care Month on Wednesday, November 1 with a free, one-night screening of the documentary "Defining Hope" for local healthcare professionals. The event will include a social hour from 6 to 7 p.m., a screening of the movie from 7 to 8:15 p.m., and a panel discussion with palliative care specialists from 8:15 to 9 p.m. The event will take place in Thun/Janssen Auditorium at Reading Hospital.
Members of the media are invited to attend the event or to discuss palliative care and end-of-life issues with Reading Hospital professionals before the event.
"Defining Hope" follows eight patients with life-threatening illness and the nurses who guide them to make critical choices along the way as they face death, embrace hope, and ultimately redefine what makes life worth living. Through the stories of patients, families, nurses and healthcare professionals, the conversation around quality end-of-life care is brought to the forefront.
The panel discussion will include Vinti Shah, DO, Chief, Section of Palliative Medicine, Reading Hospital, and Debra Stavarski, PhD, Director, Nursing Research/Council Facilitator, Reading Hospital.
Reading Hospital designates this continuing medical education activity for a maximum of 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Nurses will receive 1.25 free contact hours for watching the film and completing the evaluation.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.