Media coverage of Hadassah Medical Organization’s bleak financial situation has diminished significantly in Israel but this does not signal the patient has recuperated. While negotiations are ongoing, progress is not being reported.
Hadassah’s staggering debt is viewed by some cabinet ministers as proof of the medical organization’s fiscal irresponsibility, and some are calling for an ultimatum, to remove the hospitals from the directorship of the Hadassah Women’s Organization in the USA or halt all state funding.
Whatever agreement will finally be reached Histadrut officials warn if significant progress is not reported in the coming days, a job action will be launched. The labor federation warns the staff at both hospitals will begin operating on an emergency plan which will sorely limit medical services. In addition, employee protests are planned.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Well the Government let Bikur Cholim Hospital in Jerusalem go down the tubes and it is now showing the same disregard for the medical welfare of the citizens of Jerusalem as it did then. Only this time things will surely be different as Hadassah is the main medical facility for seriously injured IDF troops in the whole of the Greater Jerusalem and West Bank area. Bikur Cholim mainly served Haredim so it was OK to let it fold.
Bikur Cholim even before it folded offered a very limited set of facilities, the successful parts of it continue to function under the auspices of Sharei Zedek, the emergence room now is Terem, but honestly even before they went under their ER was at a level that could barely be qualified better then Terem (no emergency OR, no trauma facilities, no emergency cardiac OR).