jpost.com
Israel's Healthcare Disparities
A State Comptroller report reveals significant disparities in healthcare access across Israel, with peripheral regions lacking doctors and facing challenges due to Health Ministry reforms and an aging physician workforce.
English
Israel
HealthHealthcarePolicyReformInequalityDoctor Shortage
Israel's Health Funds (Kupot Holim)Clalit Health ServicesHealth MinistryOecd
Matanyahu Englman
- What issues are highlighted in the report concerning data on the number of doctors in Israel?
- The lack of accurate data on the number of doctors in Israel hinders effective planning and resource allocation. The report notes inconsistencies in data presented by the Health Ministry.
- How does the Health Ministry's reform regarding medical school recognition impact peripheral areas?
- The Health Ministry's reform, which limits recognition of foreign medical schools, disproportionately affects peripheral regions with higher percentages of doctors trained abroad. This exacerbates the doctor shortage in these areas.
- What are the main findings of the State Comptroller's report regarding healthcare access in Israel?
- Israel's health funds lack sufficient in-person services in peripheral towns, particularly in medical specialties. This disparity is highlighted by examples in Eilat and Safed, where the range of available services varies significantly between health funds and leaves many residents with limited choices.
- What is the projected trend in the number of doctors per capita in Israel compared to the OECD average?
- Israel faces a projected decline in doctors per capita, falling below the OECD average by 2035. Simultaneously, a high percentage of Israeli doctors are nearing retirement age, further contributing to the shortage.
- What are the short-term and medium-term strategies of the Health Ministry to address the doctor shortage?
- While the Health Ministry has long-term plans to address the doctor shortage, there is a lack of concrete short- and medium-term strategies with defined goals and success metrics to effectively tackle the current crisis.