Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, and right here in the Greater Reading and Berks County area, it claims more lives than any other illness, including cancer. In 2019 alone, heart disease caused nearly ten times more deaths than Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and influenza/pneumonia in Pennsylvania. It is an urgent and growing health crisis that demands our attention.
Lives are saved when we have access to the latest, most effective cardiac care treatments. That’s why Reading Hospital is committed to building a state-of-the-art EP Lab, bringing life-saving heart care directly to the heart of our community.
Together, We Can Make a Difference
We need your support to bring this life-saving technology and specialized care to our community. With an EP Lab at Reading Hospital, we will continue to advance heart health, reduce heart disease-related deaths, and improve the well-being of the people in Berks County.
This new lab will provide advanced diagnostic and treatment services for patients with heart rhythm disorders and other electrical abnormalities. At the forefront of this challenge is coronary artery disease, which affects the lives of countless individuals in our community – especially those with limited access to quality care, including the underserved, minorities, and those facing economic hardship.
What is an EP Lab?
Electrophysiology offers treatments that can restore normal heart rhythms and save lives. Procedures like catheter ablation, pacemaker and defibrillator implantation, and diagnostic tests will allow us to help individuals struggling with arrhythmias – conditions that can lead to stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, or other life-threatening complications. Early detection and intervention in an EP lab significantly reduce these risks, ensuring patients live longer, healthier lives.
By establishing the EP Lab at Reading Hospital, we are ensuring that residents can access cutting-edge heart care close to home. This is especially critical in emergencies when time is of the essence. With precise, minimally invasive treatments, patients can return to their normal activities sooner, improving their quality of life and enhancing the overall health of our community.
Here’s why this matters:
- Advanced imaging equipment significantly reduces radiation exposure for patients and staff.
- Cutting-edge technology enhances the safety and effectiveness of EP procedures, improving imaging quality.
- The new EP lab will also serve as a vital backup for stroke cases managed by our neurointerventionalists.
Investing in a new EP lab ensures we continue delivering exceptional care with the latest advancements in patient safety and treatment outcomes.