Fast Facts for Your Stay
An A-Z Guide to the Most Frequently Asked Questions
A Place for Healing and Compassionate Care
We know that a quiet environment is important to help you rest and heal. We will dim the lights, keep your area quiet, and try to limit disturbances to help you sleep.
Admission Appointment
If your admission is planned, your physician’s office already has made an appointment for you. Please report to the 5th Avenue Lobby Security Desk, where you will be welcomed and escorted to your room.
Cafeteria
Location: B-Building, first floor
Hours:
- Monday – Sunday: 6:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Holidays: 6:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Healthplex Café/Starbucks
Location: T-Building, lower level
Hours:
- Monday – Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Overnight meals available five to seven days per week, 8:30 p.m. – 4:00 a.m.
- Closed holidays
Hospital staff can provide directions to the most convenient eating location for your visitors.
Calling Your Nurse
You can call for help from your bed or from the bathroom. Press the button marked NURSE on your bedside control or on the wall in the bathroom.
Difficult Treatment Decisions
The hospital’s Palliative Medicine Team offers support to individuals facing serious illnesses. Ask your doctor or nurse for additional information about our palliative medicine services. You may also ask for additional support in reviewing treatment decisions by requesting an ethics review. Ask your doctor or nurse for more information.
Discharge Lounge
You may be discharged from the hospital but need to wait for your ride or medications. The Discharge Lounge, located on R Ground near the 5th Avenue entrance, lets you wait in comfort.
While you wait, our qualified staff will:
- Bring you to the Lounge by wheelchair when you are discharged by your doctor
- Help meet your needs while you wait
- Help arrange a ride home, if needed
- See you safely to the 5th Avenue entrance to meet your loved ones or other transportation
Electrical Appliances
Only battery-operated devices are allowed in patient rooms. Do not use electric hairdryers, curling irons, razors, heating pads, portable heaters, DVRs, or other electric devices.
Fire Safety
We conduct fire drills from time to time. If you hear an alarm, stay where you are. In an actual emergency, hospital staff will tell you what to do.
Hearing Impaired and Interpreters
To help communicate with non-English-speaking patients, we have devices that can access interpreters directly. If you need these interpreter devices, or for devices to help the hearing impaired, please talk to your nurse.
Internet
We offer guests wireless internet access in all areas of the hospital. Click the “Public Internet” wireless network to connect.
Cards and letters will be delivered directly to your room. They will be forwarded to your home when you are discharged. Mail should be addressed to:
Your Name
Room Number (Example: N-214)
Reading Hospital
P.O. Box 16052
Reading, PA 19612-6052
Patient Meals
A Nutrition Services associate will contact you for your meal choices. Your meal will be delivered to your room. If your doctor ordered a special meal plan for you, Nutrition staff will help you select foods that fit your meal plan.
Patient Portal
With MyTowerHealth, you can:
- Ask your doctor a question from home
- Access your and your family’s medical records
- Check test results
- Request an appointment
- Request prescription refills
- Review medications, immunizations, allergies, and medical history
To activate your account, call the MyTowerHealth Help Desk at 484-628-6924 to request an instant activation email or ask for one during your next office visit. Then visit mytowerhealth.org, click on the blue “Sign Up Now” button under “New User?” and enter the information requested, along with the activation code provided by the MyTowerHealth Help Desk.
Personal Belongings and Valuables
Personal care items, such as contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures, can be stored in your bedside stand when not in use. Please do not put them on your bed or food tray to help avoid them being lost or damaged. Leave valuables like jewelry or cash at home or give them to a trusted relative or friend to watch over. Reading Hospital cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.
Photos and Videos
To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, please follow these rules when using electronic devices and social media.
- No photos, audio recordings, or video recordings without the consent of all people affected.
- Streaming and unauthorized remote listening or recording are not permitted.
- Some areas do not allow recordings at all. Please respect this guideline.
- Recordings must always respect the privacy of patients and staff.
- Recordings may not interfere with patient care.
Anyone who does not respect these guidelines may be asked to:
- Stop recordings and use of inappropriate technology
- Hand over or permanently delete any recordings
- Delete social media posts
Thank you for helping us respect privacy.
Public Restrooms
For everyone’s health and safety, we ask visitors not to use patient restrooms. Public restrooms are located throughout the hospital. Ask a hospital staff member to direct you to the nearest public restroom.
Rapid Response Team
You can call a critical-care response team to respond if your condition worsens and you do not get the immediate care you need. Dial 5555 to request this special service.
Smoking
We are a smoke-free hospital. This includes all electronic smoking devices, such as e-cigarettes and vapors. You can request a nicotine replacement alternative from your physician.
Spiritual Care
Our chaplains will help meet your needs for prayer or emotional support. Our staff may ask a chaplain to visit you during the day, or you may ask for a visit from a Protestant, Catholic or Jewish chaplain. Your own clergy are welcome to visit at any time.
Telephone
Share your hospital phone number with your family and friends. You cannot receive calls from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., but you are able to make calls at any time.
TV
Your television service is free. It includes local and cable channels.
Visiting the Hospital
General visiting hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Visitors should be 12 years of age or older and are limited to two at a time. Check in with registration for visiting guidelines for specialty areas.
Weapons and Substances
These items are not allowed:
- Weapons
- Illegal substances or drugs
- Hazardous materials
Your room and belongings may be searched. These items may be taken away or given to law enforcement.
Your Room
A member of your care team will orient you to your room and tell you what to expect during your patient care experience.
Zero Tolerance
Our hospital is committed to providing a healing environment and is dedicated to ensuring safe, effective, quality care. As a patient receiving care, we ask that you and your visitors treat our staff, providers, and others with respect and not engage in aggressive behaviors. Examples of aggressive behavior may include:
- Cursing or use of offensive language
- Threats, insults, or intimidation
- Sexual comments or harassment
- Inappropriate touching
- Physical assault (including: slapping, biting, kicking, spitting, or throwing items at others)
- Damage to our property
Acting in a threatening or aggressive way could result in removal from the premises or law enforcement involvement. Hospital leadership supports the rights of staff to press charges for aggressive behaviors against them.