(haipo) – While many systems in Israel are reducing activity due to the security situation, the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa manages to maintain most medical services even under emergency conditions. Thanks to protected infrastructure, early planning, and experience gained from previous systems, the hospital manages to continue to provide residents of Haifa and the north with a wide range of medical services.
Dr. Avi Weissman, Deputy Director of the Hospital, talks about the special preparations that allow us to continue treating thousands of patients even in the shadow of alarms.
Outpatient clinics near protected areas
According to Dr. Weissman, in recent years, new buildings have been built at Rambam Medical Center that were designed in advance so that they could respond even in emergency situations. A spacious protected space was built on each floor of these buildings, capable of accommodating dozens of people at the same time. This planning allowed the hospital to continue operating its outpatient clinics even during the current war, while in other medical institutions, this activity had to be stopped.
“In each of the new buildings, there is a protected space on each floor that can accommodate about 40 to 50 people,” he explains. “We operate the clinics so that if, God forbid, there is an alarm, you can reach the emergency department within ten steps. We do not work within the protected space itself, but near it, because we are not dealing with operations such as anesthesia or surgery, but with outpatient examinations and treatments.”
In addition, the hospital's spacious underground parking lot was also partially converted into a medical activity area. "We have prepared large areas there for the operation of outpatient clinics such as orthopedics, ophthalmology and many other fields. In this way, we have greatly expanded the ability to provide service even under complex conditions."
He says that thanks to the move, the hospital is able to reach about 65% of its normal outpatient activity, an exceptional figure in the Israeli healthcare system. “This has no equal in Israel,” he emphasizes.
The activities of the institutes are maintained.
The preparations are not limited to the outpatient clinics. The hospital's medical institutes, including the Gastroenterology Institute, the Pulmonary Institute, the Isotope Institute, and more, are also continuing to operate in a broad format. "We have also provided a solution for the institutes within protected areas," says Dr. Weissman. "This way, we are managing to maintain between 60 and 70 percent of the normal elective activity."
Operating rooms – almost fully operational
The peak, he says, is in the operating rooms. “All the operating rooms at Rambam are protected, so we are managing to reach about 75 to 80 percent of normal activity,” he notes. Patients whose appointments were postponed at the beginning of the fighting are already starting to return. “Those whose appointments were postponed in the first week are being rescheduled. And those who had an appointment scheduled in advance, in most cases are no longer postponed.”
According to him, the meaning is clear: "We provide as full a service as possible to the residents of Haifa and the north. Our patients hardly notice the change, while in other hospitals a large part of the activity has almost stopped."
Teams need support too
In addition to the medical response, Rambam is also taking care of the well-being of the staff. “We work under emergency conditions, and it’s not easy,” says Dr. Weissman. To make things easier for the employees, a babysitting service was set up for the staff’s children. “That way, parents can come to work with peace of mind. They know that the children are in a safe place.”
In addition, the hospital makes sure to pamper employees in a variety of ways: hot meals, small gifts, short massages during breaks, and other activities aimed at relieving stress.
“There are also many restaurants and businesses that treat the staff to meals, which is very welcome,” he says. “We try to do everything we can, because ultimately it is the human stuff that keeps the hospital going, not the buildings.”
Infrastructure gaps – but professional coping
Despite the challenges, Dr. Weissman emphasizes that the Israeli healthcare system is doing the best it can with the existing infrastructure. “There are no complaints here against the Ministry of Health or the healthcare system,” he says. “The situation is mainly due to the fact that there is not enough new hospital construction in Israel. The infrastructure is complex, but if this situation were to happen anywhere in the world, the situation there would be similar.”
The big challenge – team attrition
However, he said, if the war lasts a long time, the main challenge will be the strain on the teams. “In previous campaigns, we reached a maximum of two to four weeks of intense effort. After five or six weeks, very great fatigue begins among the teams,” he explained.
Therefore, he said, it is important to keep morale high. "We try to make it easier for the employees and make them happy. Because ultimately, the people are the heart of the hospital."
The message to the residents of the North
In conclusion, Dr. Weissman wants to convey a clear message to the residents of the area: There is no reason to be afraid of coming to receive treatment. "To the residents of Haifa and the north, I say you are lucky to have a facility like Rambam here, "whoever has an appointment should not be afraid to come. A very large part of the activity is carried out in a protected setting, and we continue to provide full medical service as much as possible."
Congratulations to Rambam Hospital!
We assure you of professionalism and care for the teams!
Inhale, inhale, inhale For about a month and a half, my mother and I have been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments for the past two weeks because of the war. All treatments have been moved to the parking lot. Although we don't have a parking lot!!! The dedicated treatment and ticking work like a Swiss watch. Well done to the radiation department and the oncology department. They work in an exemplary manner. Well done to you. Keep it up and let's hope this damn war ends soon.
Kudos to the medical team, I was with my father recently and I must say that everything went exceptionally well.
Strengthens the medical team and thanks Dr. Michal Mekel for taking on the new role as hospital director.
We see that there is a change starting to happen.
Well done.