PHOTOS: Israel’s Health Ministry Rates Hospital Emergency Rooms

(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Generally speaking, one arrives in an emergency room due to unwanted circumstances. It is perhaps the gateway to a hospital, which at times leads to one being admitted. As such, the Ministry of Health has decided to conduct an annual inspection and grade the emergency rooms of hospitals nationwide. If you are in Jerusalem, be aware, there are no options among the top ten unfortunately, with the Jerusalem hospitals being close to or in last place.

The hospitals were divided into three categories, according to the number of patients treated annually. The highest scores were received by the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba (among the large hospitals), Poriah in Tiveria (medium hospitals), and the Sharon in Petach Tikvah (small hospitals). High grades were also given to Sheba at Tel Hashomer, to Meir in Kfar Saba and Ziv in Tzefas.

Waiting time and the ratio of doctors & nurses to patients were among factors included in the rating system. Then of course there is patient care, the presence of senior physicians and experts and nurses with special training, the rate of performing geriatric assessments for the elderly and the operation of a queue management system for the benefit of the patients. The data were checked and scored, and each class was given a total score, with 100 being the highest score.

The lowest scores were received by Shaare Zedek Hospital (71.4) in the medium-sized hospitals and the two hospitals in Nazareth – the Scots and the Italians who received the lowest scores in Israel (68.36 and 64.3, respectively).

In 2015, the Ministry of Health launched the National Program for Strengthening Emergency Medicine Departments. In addition to incentives for high-grade hospitals, the program also includes personnel additions, budget supplements, training for medical staff, improvements in the patient experience, publication of management and clinical guidelines for hospitals, and incentives for health funds.

The findings of the nationwide study are presented in the accompanying photos, broken down according to hospital size category. “Large” hospitals refer to emergency rooms treating over 100,000 patients annually. “Medium” is up to 100,000 and “Small” refers to up to 50,000 patients annually.