According to the Ministry of Health’s annual report, a total of 922 complaints were filed with the ombudsmen against Israeli hospitals in 2012. Hadassah Hospital is pleased, having been the recipient of 14 of those complaints, as opposed to Sheba Hospital at Tel Hashomer, which leads with 59 complaints. (Regarding the latter, Tel Hashomer, it is the largest hospital in Israel, and it treated over 1 million patients in 2012. It is also important to point out that most of the complaints filed against Sheba were not deemed legitimate). In next to last place is Ichilov Hospital (55) followed by Rambam Medical Center (40).

It is reported that two-thirds of the complaints addressed a hospital’s interaction with a patient’s HMO, 14% with issues pertaining to power of attorney, and 13% addressing actual patient care.

Ministry officials add that two-thirds of the complaints were investigated within 90 days or less, 21% within six months or less. 15% of the complaints took over six months to address, some still awaiting a final determination.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)