Ramat Beit Shemesh - 24 hour medical service & comprehensive care

How does one navigate through the Israeli health system? Fortunately, health care in Israel is quite well developed. While there may be individual medications or technologies that haven’t yet arrived here, 98% of the care that you received in the US, Canada, England, Australia and other Western countries, you can get here. Access to physicians, specialists, medications, radiology, is actually probably better in Israel than the US and other Western countries. The major differences are: 1)how much time a physician will spend with you, 2)the after hours access to your physicians, 3)the lack of continuity of care with your personal physician when you should need to be hospitalized, 4)the importance of supplementary health insurance.

Two important points to remember: 1) Immunizations and growth records for children are all done through Tipat Chalav, a government office which has a good track record of making sure everyone is immunized. However, your HMO and your physician have nothing to do with this part of your child’s medical care, so you will need to update your pediatrician/family doctor of what happens at Tipat Chalav. Warning: tipat chalav nurses are known to exaggerate any possible issue that they find with your child. Don’t take their criticism of your parenting too seriously and discuss any issue that they raise with your personal physician. 2) Remember that usually your OB/GYN that you have in the HMO will do your routine gynecology and obstetrics but will not be delivering your baby in the hospital. Deliveries are all done by midwifes that work in the hospital. If you want your own physician to do the delivery, you will have to find out if they have privileges at the hospital (very few of them have privileges) and you will have to pay about $2000-3000. Private deliveries are only done by physicians. Midwifes are not authorized to do private deliveries.

In general, most people coming from Anglo countries want availability, access and choice when it comes to their medical care. Your first choice will be in choosing which Kupat Cholim (Health Fund/HMO). There are four HMO’s in Israel. In order of increasing size: Leumit, Meuchedet, Maccabi and Clalit. Each kupah has in benefits and down sides. Check out the details of each kupah before you decide and don’t just rely on word-of-mouth. (Click here to see Leumit’s Comparison of Services Offered by the 4 Kupot in the Beit Shemesh area). Issues to check out:

1. Primary care physician quality and availability: Pediatrics, Internists and OB/GYN. Remember that in Israel, most physicians are NOT available after there office hours close (usually 6 pm). Some HMO’s have a generic nurse available for calls, others have nothing.
2. Office Hours
3. After hours services
4. Supplementary Insurance: medicine discounts, specialist discounts, overseas surgeries, transplants, etc. The most commonly used parts of the supplemental insurance are for medications, going to specialists in an expedited way (1 week instead of 3 months) and dental care. There are very, very wide variations in policies both in price and in services given. Leumit’s comparison between the policies(albeit in Hebrew) can be found by clicking HERE.
5. Availability of technology (x-ray, ultrasound, hearing screening, rapid streps) locally and in Jerusalem
6. Availability of specialists locally and in Jerusalem
7. Availability of child development specialists and support staff (PT, OT, speech, feeding team)
8. Availability of alternative medicine options

Click Here for Leumit’s recent comparison of services in Beit Shemesh

Common medical words that are useful to know in Hebrew

טיפת חלב tipat chalav-governmental agency taking care of immunizations and growth

קופת חולים Kupat Cholim-HMO/Health fund taking care of all your medical problems

כרטיס מגנטי Cartis Magneti-Health Fund Card-You will need this for every visit and will recieve it in the mail after you sign up for a fund.

בטוח משלים Bituach Mashlim- Supplementary Health Insurance available through the HMO (and privately)

תרופה Trufot-Medications

בית מרקחת-Beit Merkachat-Pharmacy

רופא-Rofeh-Doctor

אחות-Achot-Nurse

חולה-Choleh -Sick or a sick person

בריא -Bari-Healthy

חום -Chom-Fever

שיעול -Shi-ul-Cough

שלשול -Shilshul-Diarrhea

הקאות -Hakaot-Vomiting

מיובש-Meyubash-Dehydrated

בית חולים-Bayt Cholim-Hospital

טרם-Terem-Urgent Care Center