The head of the medical department at the Ministry of Health referred to the private hospitals: "They are working on a vacuum - we will probably stop the urgent surgery there"
"They won't work in the vacuum." Elisha Hospital // Photo: Michelle Dot Com
Dr. Vered Ezra, head of the medical department at the Ministry of Health, said today that all private hospitals - Assuta Ramat Hahayal, Herzliya Medical Center, Elisha in Haifa and more - will close in the coming days for non-urgent surgery, and will start helping the health system. In the treatment of corona patients.
"We will probably stop elective (non-urgent) surgeries in private hospitals. It is unlikely that they will continue to work in the vacuum when the entire health care system is taking care of Corona. In light of the morbidity progression, this will happen in the coming days," Dr. Ezra told reporters.
As of this morning, there are 927 Corona patients who are hospitalized under the responsibility of the HMOs, and 203 Corona patients at the Corona Hotels, whose medical treatment is also the responsibility of the HMOs. Dr. Ezra says the trend is likely to reverse and more patients will now be transferred to the Corona hotels.
"Staying at the hotel is the default. Understanding is that someone who is at home infects his or her environment and continues to spread the virus. There are, of course, cases that the whole family is sick, or other cases that are comfortable being at home. It is also possible to have an interface between patients and it has social benefits as well. "
Dr. Ezra has updated that there are currently 5 open hotels, but the Home Front Command can take less than 24 hours to open more hotels. She further said that a person may be required to stay in a hotel, but this is a legal option that she hopes will not have to reach.
Dr. Ezra did not provide data on the number of respirators that exist in the system, but said: "The scenario we are building is preparing for a lot of patients in moderate and severe condition. Our destination is thousands of beds. There is currently no shortage of equipment. There are currently thousands of soul machines in the State of Israel. "
Prof. Shuki Shemer, chairman of the Assuta network, said in response that "the Assuta network sees itself as part of the public health system and is preparing to join the national corona treatment effort. At this point Assuta is doing urgent elective surgery, which the cyber system cannot do, and we will continue to do so. "
