Treatment times in the Rambam stroke department were shortened by a third

Against the background of the State Comptroller's report, which was published on Tuesday 24/7/24, and refers in detail to the plight of neurology in Israel, Rambam summarizes a year to the opening of the largest neurological system in the country and presents encouraging data for the residents of the north.

An improvement of dozens of percent (38%) in stroke treatment times at Rambam was recorded within the three months (!) that have passed since a dedicated stroke department was established in March 2023, according to data collected to mark World Brain Day this week. The trend of shortening waiting times for treatment has begun When the department was activated in the second quarter of last year, and continued until the end of the year, then waiting times stood at an average of 21 minutes for head CT examinations for stroke patients - below the waiting time limit set by the Ministry of Health as a national standard (25 minutes).

The data and other steps taken during the past year to optimize treatment in the field of neurology at Rambam were presented as part of a study day held by the department on Tuesday, 23/7/24 at Rambam, which dealt with various aspects of life after a stroke.

The largest neurological system in Israel - a successful move

Last year, Rambam's management decided to divert a large part of the additional beds received by the medical center in favor of strengthening the field of brain care and establishing the largest neurological system in Israel, with 54 beds, which includes a general neurology department, a neurological intensive care unit and a stroke department, one of the few in Israel, with 22 beds hospitalization.

The beds, which were added to Rambam's license, arrived without manpower regulations, and Rambam found creative solutions to carry out the task and even recruited professional personnel for stroke treatment, including the director of the newly established department, Dr. Estel Saiman, an expert in the field.

This new department joins an extensive activity in the field of brain health, which includes the activity of a brain catheter unit under the direction of Dr. Eitan Abergil, who possesses a unique skill in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of blood vessels in the brain. In Israel there is a shortage of brain catheters, as shown by an auditor's report The state that was published yesterday, and their number is 25 experts. Two of them work in Rambam.

At the same time, Rambam operates a neurosurgical center of excellence, under the direction of Prof. Gil Saviri, for the treatment of tumors, trauma and providing surgical solutions for various functional problems in the brain, such as parkinsonian tremors and epilepsy. Rambam also operates a Cognition and Stroke Institute, under the direction of Prof. David Tana , which deals with the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases with a degenerative background, including cutting-edge biological drugs and groundbreaking treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

According to Dr. Estel Saiman, director of the Neurology B-Stroke Department at Rambam and member of the board of the Israeli Stroke Society:

This move started because of the understanding of the importance of providing optimal care in the field of brain health, in all its aspects. Along with broad moves to invest in infrastructure and skilled personnel, protocols for the treatment of stroke were also optimized, team trainings and other actions were carried out. The options that exist today to treat various problems related to brain health are many, and Rambam has a comprehensive and interdisciplinary response, unique to the northern region and among the leading in Israel. In 2023, Rambam treated over 1,900 stroke patients. The Rambam management's investment and focus on treatment in this area have resulted in significant results that we have seen since last year and an improvement in the treatment of patients in the north of the country.

Dr. Estelle Saiman, director of the department, explains how to create a change that saves lives ► Watch