Nearly one-quarter of specialist doctors working in Israel’s public hospitals are approaching retirement age, according to a new Finance Ministry report warning of a potentially serious manpower challenge for the country’s healthcare system.

The report, released by Finance Ministry Wage Commissioner Efi Malkin, found that 24% of specialist physicians currently employed in public hospitals are nearing retirement age.

The findings are contained in a broader examination of salary expenditures throughout Israel’s public healthcare system during 2023 and 2024. The report also identified substantial differences in physician compensation depending on where doctors work and the institutions employing them.

Significant salary gaps were identified between Israel’s geographic periphery and the center of the country, between health funds and hospitals, and between male and female physicians.

The combination of an aging physician workforce and the large number of specialists approaching retirement is raising concerns over whether Israel’s healthcare system is adequately prepared to replace them in the coming years.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)