Reading Hospital - West Reading, Pennsylvania

Gregory F.

Nurses take 30 minutes to answer calls. I came in with my mother who was taken to get a test done. I waited 1 hour in the lobby before having to go to the desk to ask where she was. I was told she was in a room already and when someone went to escort me they stopped at the end of the hall and told me it was a room next to thr litter(when there was 3 litters in that hallway.) I only knew where to go because I overheard the folks in the lobby say the room number among themselves. The room had trash on the counter and floor. I saw a nurse pull a plastic tab off a sensor and throw it on the floor. I had to pull a random employee from the hall to get them to help my mother use the bathroom and the first one was unwilling to help and told me to wait. Unacceptable standards. If you can, go somewhere else. Security was also pretty rude when I asked why they had so many precautions going so far as to say out loud "Lord have Mercy" as I walked away.

Kyle O.

My daughter recently was a resident with the hospital. Scared with what was going on, the ER staff was able to get her to calm down, explain every test and results in a way she would understand as I wasn't able to get there right away. She felt as if she was a person and not a "another body wasting space" as some people would say when it comes to going to an ER. Were they busy? Absolutely. Did they get her in immediately? Not at first. It wasn't their fault, the ER was very full in the patient area as well as in the actual ER. With that stress the staff must feel having the overabundance of people, its amazing they were still able to navigate not only my daughters needs, but everyone else including the people with toe pain complaining there are people getting in before them.

Then we found out she needed to spend the night for observation. Not news anyone wants to hear. Now she was on a new level of being uneasy. She ended up on the obs unit. Those staff, I can't say enough about them, are amazing at minimum. Just like the ER staff, they were able to get her to remain calm, explain everything they were doing, and did their best to make her comfortable with the pain she was in physically and emotionally. Even their unit boss came to check on us!

I am grateful for the staff that took great care of my daughter. Emergency rooms are beyond overpacked anymore, and somehow the staff is making sure everyone is seen, treated, and given in a way a better outcome than when they first came in. I give my thanks to Reading Hospital staff for their kindness and professionalism with treating my daughter.

Donna B.

I was in the emergency room at Tower Health in West Reading, PA, in January. The doctor who treated me specifically put in my discharge papers that I was to come back this month to repeat a test. I went in and was treated horrible. From the first nurse who spoke with me to the nurse in my room who lied to the doctor and finally the smug, stuck up, better than everyone doctor who actually said he was doing me a favor.
No, you were supposed to read my file and treat me. It didn't matter why I was there. You were supposed to follow what my doctor put in my file. Not talk down to me like I am nobody. If you need the emergency room, STAY AWAY FROM TOWER HEALTH! HORRIBLE!!

Charlie L.

I wrote this review on Yelp, but wanted to add it here as well.
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I have been seeing Dr. Kathryn Brandt (D.O.) since October 2024, approx 5 months, and she's been awesome. I had top surgery with her in December of the same year. I'm super happy with the results and quality of care with her and her team, both the office staff as well as surgical center team.

Being trans, I often don't know what kind of service/care I will receive; many staff at other locations (various practices) refuse to use my chosen name despite having changed it almost 10 years ago, and many don't even try to use the correct pronouns that I kindly state every single time I need to be seen by an office more than once. Frankly it is disheartening and can be scary to know that people in charge of my bodily health are often dismissive of very basic parts of my existence.

That said, Dr. Brandt and her team have been nothing but respectful and kind. They know how to utilize Preferred Name in Epic medical records software, as well as the (very basic) difference between gender expression and sex expression. I rarely interact with medical providers who understand me on a social AND medical level, and that means a lot to me, as both are fundamentally intertwined for transgender people just as they are for cisgender people.

I deeply appreciate that Dr. Brandt feels strongly that her expertise and presence is needed in an area of the state that otherwise doesn't really have comprehensive care for trans people. I fully agree with this sentiment. Philly and Pittsburgh are a long way off for someone living in the middle of PA, and most people can't afford a 3-4 hour one-way trip for every specialist they see, including myself! I travel about 1.5 hours each way to see her, and while it makes for an exhausting day, she's more than worth it.

Mohamed S.

This is a merciful 2/5. Wallahi, I was ready to give one star last night, but decided to have mercy this morning.

My stepmother was in extreme pain—head, chest, stomach, throat, everywhere—so I drove her to Reading Hospital’s ER. From the start, the vibe was off. A security guard spoke to me with unnecessary impatience, unlike how he addressed others. Not a good first impression.

During her preliminary exam, I tried lightening the mood by asking the doctor to “work her magic,” to which she coldly responded with something along the lines of, “we’re not going to do much. We’re just going to reduce the symptoms, not make them go away.” Wow, how comforting.

Then things turned worse. My stepmother’s pain became unbearable—she was screaming, couldn’t sit or speak. I asked for a wheelchair and notified a nearby doctor. They moved with zero urgency, like they were out for a casual stroll through the park.

Once seated, we were called up for more info. I calmly explained this was an emergency. The doctor directed me to the front desk, and when I did, the staff member instantly got defensive, dismissing the situation like it was nothing special. I didn’t even know what to say. It was as if I was existing in a twilight zone, and somehow I was the only one who saw her in danger of God knows what. Mind you, my stepmother was the only one audibly screaming in pain.

To add insult to injury, a security guard followed me and demanded me “not to be hostile.” Are you freaking kidding me? Because I’m black and concerned, suddenly I’m a threat? I said, “Sir, I’m not being hostile. I’m just concerned,” and then he told me not to raise my voice. Wow. Imagine having an ego this fragile. I wasn’t violent. I wasn’t shouting. I was begging for someone to help my loved one. I thought this was an emergency room.

And that’s the most frustrating part: the utter lack of empathy. I remained respectful the whole time—but that doesn’t mean I still respect this place. I don’t. A lack of resources is one thing, but apathy and sheer ignorance is inexcusable.

After four hours of waiting, we finally got a room. And that’s when ElliAnna entered the picture—our saving grace. She was everything a doctor should be: attentive, kind, proactive. I even told her, “You’re one of the few good souls here.” She brought tissues, blankets, even helped find me a phone charger, and m allowed me to use hospital blankets as prayer mats. She cared. Reading Hospital needs to give her a raise, because she’s literally the only reason why I’m adding an extra star on this rating.

So 2/5 stars it is. That’s the best I can do. And if you think I’m being too harsh, consider the fact that this place recently settled an $11,000,000 lawsuit when it was their negligence that caused a woman to deliver a baby with brain damage. I’m not going to be nice to them. They’re that bad. But at the same time, I feel bad for the actual good doctors like ElliAnna. They make a clear distinction from the apathetic, rude, and unprofessional staff they are working in the shadows of.

I shouldn’t have to urge people not to go here. We don’t have many hospital options in Reading, so we need Reading Hospital to clean up their act expediently. The way they treat people is completely unacceptable.

A M.

The peds unit at the ER was absolutely amazing when we were there 3/23 into 3/24/25. My daughter's nurse and doctors were smart and very attentive. Everyone was so nice and helpful. Thank you for all you do!

Annmarie L.

No stars. Rude behavior. Uncaring staff. My friend was left in acute pain— no one helped. He was apparently on “bed rest” meaning no one offered food or water for a day and a half. The neurologist that read his cat scan early in the morning cleared him for discharge — no surgery required, yet by late in the afternoon he was still being completely ignored. The simple act of offering extra pillows to brace his painfully fractured ribs instead of leaving him on his back in excruciating pain would have at least created the illusion of caring. Finally we spoke into the device used to call a nurse (which no one responded to when we rang it) to tell them we’re done and we’re leaving. The gentleman at the valet stand was, however very kind to me. I was grateful for him.

Julia N.

I switched to Tower Health obstetrics and gynecology (I called at 26 weeks pregnant and had my first appointment with them at 28 weeks) and I cannot say enough amazing things about them & Reading hospital. I was in a car accident at 29 weeks and the love and care I got through reading was unmatched.

I recognize that everyone has a different experience. Some people don’t like it’s a teaching hospital or when I heard a negative experience it was around epidural insertion (which I can’t speak on). The teams really honored my wishes and I had nurses on all fours holding monitors in place during my labor process. I had nurses stay beyond their shift time to finish out my birth with me because I gave birth at 7:18 pm (shift change at 7). During labor, my son got stuck unfortunately and they had to manually turn him to get him out. The NICU had to come evaluate him and we’ve never seen a more efficient process. They were paged and it seemed like seconds later they were there to evaluate him. Everyone seemed to know their role and place. With what seemed like over 20 people in the room, it didn’t feel chaotic and I felt like we were all their priority. The after birth care and monitoring was absolutely amazing. Two nurses that I had post birth were Syreeta and Kayla. Both of these women were meant to be in this field.

I know this review is long but I hope this helps anyone considering giving birth at this hospital.