The report of indicators for the quality of care in the health care system for 2023, published today (Wednesday), presents a comprehensive and in-depth picture of the state of the Israeli health care system. The report, which examined 82 different indicators, included an in-depth examination of 35 general, geriatric and psychiatric hospitals, as well as early childhood care services and the ambulance system, including Magen David Adom.
Unlike previous years, this year’s report did not include a final ranking table of the hospitals. This is, among other things, due to non-reporting of some hospitals on certain indicators. For example, Wolfson Hospital did not report some of the parameters due to the implementation of a new computerized clinical record system. On the other hand, Sheba Hospital stood out favorably when tested in the highest number of indicators – 51 indicators, and received a high score in 20 of them.
The report revealed fascinating data in various fields of medical care. In the area of waiting times in the emergency room, for example, the Laniado hospital in Netanya led with an impressive waiting time of only 4 minutes for an initial diagnosis. It was followed by the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya with 5 minutes, and the Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv with 6 minutes. These times reflect the considerable efforts of the hospitals to improve the efficiency of primary care in emergency situations.
Regarding referrals to the ER within 48 hours, most hospitals failed to meet the national goal of 5%. However, the Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem stood out favorably with a low rate of 3.70% recurrences, which indicates the quality of the initial care and follow-up of the patients. In contrast, Yoseftal Hospital in Eilat recorded the highest rate of repetitions, with over 10%.
In the field of treating acute cardiac events, significant progress has been made. 92% of cases were treated with catheterization within 90 minutes, a dramatic increase from 68% in 2013. This figure highlights the significant improvement in the system’s ability to respond quickly to cardiac emergencies.
In stroke treatment, Asuta Hospital in Ashdod led with a median treatment time of only 19 minutes, below the national target of 25 minutes. This quick reaction time is critical in reducing the damage caused by a stroke.
The report also examined the activity of tipat chalav (early childhood care), where a slight decrease was recorded in the performance of head circumference tests and language tests for toddlers. This statistic highlights the need for increasing awareness of the importance of ongoing developmental monitoring in early childhood.
In the field of pre-hospital resuscitation, the report revealed that in only 38% of cases was resuscitation performed before the arrival of the ambulance. The Ministry of Health emphasized the need for significant improvement in this area, as immediate resuscitation can be the difference between life and death.
Health Minister Uriel Bosso commented on the report and the challenges faced by the health system during the Iron Swords War: “In the past year, we were privileged to see the high level of the public health system in Israel. The way in which the system managed the events of October 7 and the difficult events of the war in addition to its global appreciation – proved to what extent the Ministry of Health’s ambition for excellence and achievement bears fruit.”
The Director General of the Ministry of Health Moshe Bar Siman Tov emphasized the importance of continuous improvement: “The pursuit of excellence in quality and safety in health is an ongoing journey, the success of which requires continued cooperation, commitment, innovation and a commitment to learn from the shared experience of the participating institutions and the national program. By giving weight to the patient’s voice, it will be possible to learn about the effect of interventions and treatments on the treatment results and the patient’s well-being from his point of view.”
Bar Siman Tov added: “This year, the health system was fully mobilized to treat the victims of the war, both physically and mentally wounded,” and noted that despite the many challenges and the heavy workload, the medical teams managed to maintain a level of performance similar to the previous year, which indicates the resilience and professionalism of the health system the Israeli one.
This report is an important tool not only for the decision makers in the health system, but also for the general public, who gets a clearer picture of the quality of care in the various hospitals and other care settings. It makes it possible to identify strengths and areas that require improvement, and is a basis for setting future goals for improving the quality of medical care in Israel.
