St. Joseph Family & Women's Care

Family Medicine

St. Joseph Family & Women's Care is a Family Medicine practice in Reading, PA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in family-centric healthcare. Family Medicine Doctors at St. Joseph Family & Women's Care perform medical history analysis, diagnostics, and treatments for a wide variety of dysfunctions, conditions, and injuries. Family Medicine is a medical specialty devoted to the medical care of the family unit. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Family Medicine practices include cold and flu, asthma and allergies, ear and eye infections, yeast infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, hormone imbalance, nutritional imbalance, stress and depression, muscle tears and sprains, and sexually transmitted diseases. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Family Medicine practices include annual exams, immunizations, medication refills, hormone level testing, cardiovascular testing, pap smears and genital exams, specialist referrals, and patient education.

Family Medicine is the medical specialty which is concerned with the total health care of the individual and the family. It is the specialty in breadth which integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of family medicine is not limited by age, sex, organ system, or disease entity.

Internal Medicine

St. Joseph Family & Women's Care is an Internal Medicine practice in Reading, PA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Internists specialize in puzzling medical problems and in the ongoing care of chronic illnesses. Internists also specialize in preventing disease by promoting health, and are trained to manage multisystem disease conditions that single-organ-disease specialists may not be trained to address. Internal Medicine Doctors at St. Joseph Family & Women's Care perform assessment, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment therapies for diseases and disorders in adult patients. Internal Medicine is a medical specialty focused on study, prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of short and long term multi-organ conditions. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Internal Medicine practices include cold and flu, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and chronic lung disease. Internists generally act as personal physicians and often develop long-term relationships with their patients. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Internal Medicine practices include medical history reviews, physical exams, blood tests, scans, and other diagnostic tests, as well as specialist referrals. Internists may choose to practice only in the hospital, only in an outpatient clinic, or in both.

A physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults and the elderly. Internists are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, infections and diseases affecting the heart, blood, kidneys, joints and digestive, respiratory and vascular systems. They are also trained in the essentials of primary care internal medicine, which incorporates an understanding of disease prevention, wellness, substance abuse, mental health and effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs.

Hospital Medicine

Hospitalists are physicians whose primary professional focus is the general medical care of hospitalized patients. Their activities include patient care, teaching, research, and leadership related to Hospital Medicine. The term 'hospitalist' refers to physicians whose practice emphasizes providing care for hospitalized patients.

Nurse Practice

A registered nurse provider with a graduate degree in nursing prepared for advanced practice involving independent and interdependent decision making and direct accountability for clinical judgment across the health care continuum or in a certified specialty. (2) A registered nurse who has completed additional training beyond basic nursing education and who provides primary health care services in accordance with state nurse practice laws or statutes. Tasks performed by nurse practitioners vary with practice requirements mandated by geographic, political, economic, and social factors. Nurse practitioner specialists include, but are not limited to, family nurse practitioners, gerontological nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, obstetric-gynecologic nurse practitioners, and school nurse practitioners.

Advanced Practice Midwifery

St. Joseph Family & Women's Care is an Advanced Practice Midwifery practice in Reading, PA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in childbirth assistance and treating mothers and infants before, during, and after pregnancy. Advanced Practice Midwives at St. Joseph Family & Women's Care perform prenatal, delivery, and post natal care and education. Advanced Practice Midwifery is a type of advanced practice registered nurse. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Advanced Practice Midwifery practices include pregnancy and pregnancy complications. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Advanced Practice Midwifery practices include pregnancy monitoring, prenatal nutrition, childbirth assistance, and postpartum care.

Midwifery practice as conducted by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) is the independent management of women's health care, focusing particularly on pregnancy, childbirth, the post partum period, care of the newborn, and the family planning and gynecologic needs of women. The CNM and CM practice within a health care system that provides for consultation, collaborative management, or referral, as indicated by the health status of the client. CNMs and CMs practice in accord with the Standards for the Practice of Midwifery, as defined by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM).

Physician Assisting

A physician assistant is a person who has successfully completed an accredited education program for physician assistant, is licensed by the state and is practicing within the scope of that license. Physician assistants are formally trained to perform many of the routine, time-consuming tasks a physician can do. In some states, they may prescribe medications. They take medical histories, perform physical exams, order lab tests and x-rays, and give inoculations. Most states require that they work under the supervision of a physician.

Obstetrics & Gynecology

St. Joseph Family & Women's Care is an Obstetrics & Gynecology practice in Reading, PA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in treating ailments of the reproductive system and related bowel, bladder, and urinary systems, as well as managing pregancy and child birthing. Obstetricians & Gynecologists at St. Joseph Family & Women's Care perform blood tests, pelvic exams, uterine and breast cancer screenings, birth control management, and reproductive system surgery. Obstetrics & Gynecology is care of a woman's reproductive health from the onset of puberty through menopause and beyond. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Obstetrics & Gynecology practices include yeast infections, bacterial infections, irregular menstruation, painful intercourse, discomfort of uterus, genitals, or breasts, infertility, and prolapse of the pelvic organs. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Obstetrics & Gynecology practices include annual pap test and pelvic exam, mamogram prescription, infertility treatment, birth control management, tubal ligation (permanent form of birth control), hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries), salpingectomy (removal of the fallopian tubes) or cone biopsy (removal of precancerous cells in the cervix identified during a pap test).

An obstetrician/gynecologist possesses special knowledge, skills and professional capability in the medical and surgical care of the female reproductive system and associated disorders. This physician serves as a consultant to other physicians and as a primary physician for women.