Penn State Health is closing its Downtown Reading campus at 145 North 6th Street and transitioning most of its services to other Penn State Health locations in Berks County, according to a statement the health system shared on November 11.
Most services will have moved by December 31, and the Family Medicine Residency Program will shift primarily to the system's Exeter and Muhlenberg locations. Dental services are the exception: they end on December 31 and will not relocate. The health system says it will help patients currently receiving dental treatment to complete their care, obtain their records and transition to another provider.
In its statement, Penn State Health said the Downtown Reading facility has experienced infrastructure and facility-related challenges during the past year, and that those factors prompted an evaluation of how its Berks County locations can best support the community's health care needs. The system said its commitment to serving Reading residents remains unchanged, and that most services will continue at Penn State Health, keeping patients connected to their providers and care teams.
According to WiseVoter's report of the announcement, Penn State Health occupies roughly one-fifth of the North 6th Street building, which it shares with a day care and a behavioral center, and the campus is expected to close fully by 2027. The announcement did not say how many patients or staff members are affected.
Summarised by the Berks Journal from Becker's Hospital Review's and WiseVoter's reporting.
Source: Becker's Hospital Review