The Present and Future of Primary Medical Care in Israel

Abstract

The health care system of Israel has been influenced by the history and politics of the country. Israel is a polyglot society both in its population and in its medical profession. Physicians from overseas are still automatically allowed to practice without any tests, examinations, or refresher courses. The medical care system comprises a number of independent services working together with variable degrees of cooperation. There are three types of primary physicians—general practitioner, general internist, and general pediatrician. At present, facilities are far from good with no coordination with hospitals. Many primary physicians are old, and young physicians are not keen on general practice. The future is more hopeful with better education and organization of medical care through regionalization, with family physician teams as the basic units and closer collaboration between hospitals and community services.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Statistical Abstract of Israel 1971, No. 22. Central Bureau of Statistics, Jerusalem.

Shapiro

H. L.

The Jewish people—A biological history. U.N.E.S.C.O. publication. Paris, 1963.

Mann

K. J.

Medalie

J. H.

Lieber

Groen

J. J.

, and Guttman

Visits to Doctors. Jerusalem Academic Press, Jerusalem, 1970.

Medalie

J. H.

Neufeld

H. N.

Riss

Groen

J. J.

Kahn

H. A.

, and Bachrach

C. A.

Variations in prevalence of ischemic heart disease in defined segments of the male population of Israel. Isr. J. Med. Sci. 4: 775–800, 1968.

Grushka

, editor. Health Services in Israel. The Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, 1968.

Davies

Health sciences in Israel: Institutions and scientists. Isr. J. Med. Sci., in press, 1971.

Smith

Manpower Research: No. 1: Physicians in Israel. The Ministry of Labor, Jerusalem, 1964.

Kellner

Kanev

, and Strulovici

Vital and Health Statistics, Vol. 3. General Federation of Labor, Israel, 1968.

Shavit

Internal report of Kupat–Holim, 1970.

10.

Smith

S. R.

The distribution and practice of general practitioners in Israel. Student Project report, Tel Aviv University, August 1971.

11.

Doron

Medical manpower and patterns of delivery of medical care. Kupat–Holim Year Book 1: 9–23, 1971.

12.

Mann

K. J.

Summary of recommendations of the Israel medical association committee on the organization of health services in Israel. Isr. J. Med. Sci. 6: 168–175, 1970.