Passionate battle between Beilinson and Sheba:
Since 2020, the Sheba Government Hospital in Tel Hashomer has been performing lung transplants, but it is claimed that Clalit Health Fund and Beilinson Hospital, where organ transplants have been taking place for about 30 years, are "terrible moves" for transplant candidates not to undergo the procedure. In Sheba.
This is one of the most difficult struggles known to the health system in Israel.
Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva is owned by Clalit and organ transplants in the country, including heart, lung, kidney and liver transplants, are very successful.
Dr. Kramer: "Liran Levy is trying to hunt clients, he has a new plan and he wants transplants"
In Sheba, 23 lung transplants have been performed so far, with ten of the transplant recipients unable to undergo the transplant at Beilinson because senior doctors vehemently opposed performing it on Corona patients and some did not meet Beilinson's criteria for transplantation.
Sheba's main complaint is that at Beilinson Hospital and Clalit HMOs, transplant candidates are intimidated into not undergoing the procedure at a competing hospital.
Among other things, it is claimed that Clalit is delaying approval to finance the treatment and surgery (Form 17, RR) in Sheba. This is contrary to the directives of the Ministry of Health and Clalit's public statements, one of them by the then CEO Eli Deps in 2014, according to Patient decide where to get the treatment.
Beilinson Hospital, Photo: Joshua Joseph
It should be noted that the HMOs' payment for each lung transplant is about half a million shekels, so it must be assumed that the circumstances of the dispute depend on budgets, along with the prestige that accompanies a hospital that performs transplants.
A month ago, Dr. Liran Levy, director of the Sheba Lung Transplant Service, wrote an unusual letter to Clalit's doctors, who treat lung transplant candidates. According to him, " Beilinson Hospital.
"As you know, patients in need of transplantation are among the most medically difficult group of patients, and therefore I will ask in every language of request to avoid harming patients for foreign reasons, whether economic or prestige considerations, and to avoid depriving those in need of transplantation."
As early as May 2021, Prof. Arnon Afek, Deputy Director of Sheba Hospital, filed a scathing complaint with Adv. Nili Hayun-Dickman, Commissioner of Public Admissibility for the State Health Insurance Law at the Ministry of Health. "We were amazed to find out from patients who chose to have transplants in Sheba, that as soon as they applied to Clalit for Form 17 the next day, they received a phone call from a senior nurse in Beilinson inviting them to come to them, using pressure and improper conviction that Beilinson was better than Sheba," said Prof. Afek. He further added: "A serious violation is being committed.
Clalit blatantly exploits its status and the medical information in its possession as an insured, for the sake of financial considerations and the promotion of the transplant center in the medical center it owns.
In practice, patients are solicited to move from the medical center they have chosen after exercising discretion, and in violation of any norm of behavior expected between medical centers that are part of the public system.
Where did we get to?
"Turn the public hospitals into cellular companies that recycle the company's customer openings."
Sheba Hospital, Photo: Coco
Advocate Hayun-Dickman wrote in June 2021 that following her intervention Clalit approved the financing of transplants for patients in Sheba, as it is obligated to do. The fund in relation to the possibility of treatment in one or another medical institution does not amount to the exercise of improper pressure. "
Ego battles
Despite the response of Adv. Hayun-Dickman, senior Sheba officials involved in transplants say that since then they have been referred to additional complaints from patients, and even doctors at Clalit, about exerting pressure on patients. In Sheba - continues.
Some of the complaints are documented in writing and in recordings.
One of the cases is that of Haim Zehavi, 64, who is recovering from the first corona in Israel, who underwent a successful lung transplant in Sheba in August 2021. In March 2021, Dr. Liran Levy suggested to Zehavi, who suffered a severe health injury, that he undergo the transplant. Zehavi, decided to meet with Prof. Mordechai Kramer, director of the Beilinson Lung Diseases Division, to hear his opinion on Dr. Levy's proposal.
Lung transplant at Sheba Hospital Reporter: Ran Reznik // Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon
The meeting took place in his private clinic and was recorded on tape.
During the recording, Dr. Kramer was heard saying: "A person can recover from a coronary heart. We have patients who have recovered." He added: She said she understands that patience is required in the recovery process, to which Prof. Kramer replied: "Exactly, but those who lack transplant patients do not have the time.
It's a subtle hint and do not say I said it. "
He added: "He goes from the corona ward to the corona ward and a collector (patients, RR)." Finally he said: "He can recover even without a transplant.
"The chance of mortality in the transplant is 50% and a transplant is done with the sword on the neck, and it is not there yet."
According to Hagit, "Instead of dealing only with his medical condition, Prof. Kramer was busy explaining how Dr. Levy works and how he is a 'patients' party.'
I left the conversation in shock.
I understand that there are big ego battles here. "
"Do not get sick by any means"
Dr. Levy told Israel Today that "with the opening of the Sheba Lung Transplant Program, something has fallen on the Israeli health care system, after decades in which the service was provided only at Beilinson Hospital.
The doctors' decision on the suitability of a patient for a transplant is complex and not an exact science, but in any case it is crucial, so it should not be in the hands of just one medical center.
Unfortunately, since we started performing successful lung transplants in Sheba, we doctors and patients have encountered Beilinson and Clalit's attempts to terrorize patients, using manipulations and information bordering on lies, to intimidate and deter them from reaching Sheba.
This behavior expresses the threat that Sheba poses to lung transplants in Beilinson, which has been a monopoly for many decades.
I am very sorry that they are not sick by means, including the use of patients, who are busy fighting for their lives and have no ability to struggle.
However,
Clalit responded:
"Clalit patients who are candidates for transplant have freedom of choice and the option of deciding at which medical institution the procedure will be performed. As is well known, Beilinson is the largest center in the country for lung transplants with decades of experience in performing these transplants. "Proven and achievements that no other medical institution has, and I am sorry that there are those who try to blame doctors who dedicate all their efforts to saving lives."
Beilinson responded:
We believe in competition as a healthy move to improve and upgrade service and quality.
Open to criticism and believe in attention and close contact with patients and their families.
"We are sorry that the competitors choose to direct their forces in a constant search for defects in other hospitals.
Prof. Mordechai Kramer responded:
"I have never defamed Sheba transplants and I have not prevented any patient from choosing Sheba for a lung transplant and I have not threatened patients who will not receive Forms 17.
Since the opening of Beilinson lung transplants in 1997, we have transplanted 884 lungs and saved hundreds of patients. Lacks any medical logic and did not lead to an increase in the number of donations. "We have been dedicated to our dedicated work night and day for 25 years in this field. I am not ashamed because I was more than once proud of our rich experience and our successes so it is not surprising that most lung patients chose our center to undergo the transplant."
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