Respiratory Care Services (Pulmonary)

The primary goal of the Respiratory Care Department at Saint Joseph Medical Center is to provide the highest quality care to our patients. This care is provided by our team of dedicated health care professionals through the use of modern technologic advances and old-fashioned kindness and compassionate bedside manner. Our respiratory therapists work under the direction of highly trained and experienced pulmonary physicians to deliver the care that you and your friends and family need. If you have questions regarding our services, please feel free to contact the department directly at 610-378-2155.

Pulmonary Function Testing

Our state of the art testing laboratory is able to offer the best in diagnostic testing to both in patients as well as out patients. The goals of the laboratory are directed at determining the physiologic causes for the patient's pulmonary symptoms. Once this diagnosis is made, patients may return to the laboratory at the physician's request to have follow-up studies performed to monitor the effects of pulmonary disease and/or the effects of treatment. Pulmonary testing may be used to evaluate and document the usefulness of some therapeutic treatments. Testing is also instrumental in evaluating the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation.

Respiratory Therapists

Breathing is something that most of us take for granted. We breathe without thinking much about the process. However, for those with lung disease, breathing is or can be hard work. Every breath can be difficult and every breath can be hard work. To those individuals, a respiratory therapist can be a life-saver!

A respiratory therapist is an educated and highly trained member of the health care team dedicated to bringing relief to those who suffer from heart and lung disorders. Whether dealing with a baby that is born too soon and has not developed lungs mature enough to breathe on their own, or the patient who has emphysema from smoking for all of their adult life, a respiratory therapist will work compassionately to treat and care for them during their times of crisis. A respiratory therapist works in all facets of health care. They can be found working in the delivery room, emergency department, critical care, outpatient diagnostics, rehabilitation, sleep laboratory, and medical-surgical areas.

A respiratory therapist usually has a two year or four year degree from an accredited college or university. Saint Joseph Medical Center is one of the primary clinical sites for students attending the respiratory care program at Reading Area Community College www.racc.edu. There are approximately 16 respiratory care programs throughout the state of Pennsylvania. For more information regarding these programs, click on www.psrc.net and look under the heading of schools.