Karmiel: Things medical

"THINGS MEDICAL"

There is no hospital in Karmiel and there are no plans to build one.  We are about 1/2 hr away from Ziv Medical Center in Zefat (formerly known as Sieff Hospital), about 20 minutes away from Nahariya Hospital (Western Galilee Medical Center) and an hour or so from Rambam Medical Center in Haifa.  All three of these are government hospitals.

Finding a good English speaking family doctor is possible. There is a private service in Karmiel with an English speaking doctor. 

There is an Israeli trained gynecologist who is fluent in English, having spent quite a bit of time in the US.  I don't know which K. Holim (HMO) he belongs to, but I think it's Clalit.  There are an Italian trained, English  speaking native Israeli who is a liver/metabolic syndrome specialist with Macabbi, an Israeli trained English speaking neurologist, an Israeli trained English speaking endocrinologist, an English speaking Argentinian trained surgeon, an English speaking Israeli trained ophthalmologist and at least 2 Israeli trained English speaking physical therapists, all of whom are affiliated with Macabbi.  There is a doctor of chiropractic who is from America, but I don't know her Kupat Holim (HMO) affiliation.  There is at least one Israeli trained, English speaking family doctor with Macabbi (probably more).  He's affiliated with the Macabbi alternative medicine framework. There are at least 2 English speaking Israeli trained nurses at the Macabbi clinic.  There are at least 2 Israeli trained, English speaking dieticians affiliated with Macabbi.

The above is from personal knowledge.  I am sure there are more out there and some I have forgotten.  I have no knowledge of Kupat Holim Leumit or Meuchedet. I worked at the ZivMedical Center in Zefat for over 15 years and know many of the above doctors professionally and personally.

In general, nearly all doctors here can manage in English as a second language, some better than others. Macabbi lets you choose your doctor.  Clalit assigns you, but I think you can go to the doctor's office after a few months and ask to be transferred to another service.  Not sure. I have been with Macabbi for many years.  Both kupot have large outpatient clinics in Karmiel.  Clalit has an onsite pharmacy.  Macabbi cooperates with most of the local pharmacies.  Macabbi has an on site physical therapy unit, well-baby clinic, new child development unit, labs, radiology department and US.  I think that Clalit has no on-site radiology, so you must travel for an x-ray.  I'm not sure.  Macabbi has an on-site outpatient plastic surgery and an outpatient surgery service. This is incomplete, but the best I can come up with on the fly.

When I made aliyah in 1985, there were no English speaking family doctors around. My current GP is a Russian cardiologist/internist who works at the cardiology department at the hospital where I worked. I know her to be a good doctor and conscientious. She speaks very little English, but my Hebrew is passable these days and we manage.  Macabbi has one English (non native) speaking GP.

Something to keep in mind is that most family doctors here (in my experience) do not operate like Family Practice specialists in the USA, i.e., they refer quickly and early. If I had a rash on my arm in the USA, my family doctor would likely diagnose and prescribe. Not here. I will be directed to a dermatologist.  My Israeli family doctor would not give me a food plan to lower cholesterol, he would send me to a dietician. If a blood test turned up diabetes, the Israeli family physician would send me to an endocrinologist, who in turn, might eventually send me to the same dietician. If I complained of recurrent headaches, I would end up in the office of a neurologist. I needed an injection of steroids into my hip a few years ago. My family doctor was not permitted to administer this.  I had to go to an orthopedic specialist. Now, as I said earlier, this is based on my personal experience. Some doctors may be loath to pass you on.

The money motive exists in Israel's wonderful, semi-socialistic medical system too.  Remember that kupot holim are HMO's, and like American HMO's are private profit centers in it for the money. Doctors are rewarded for keeping costs down (seeing lots of patients per hr, etc.) I would guess that a doctor who wrote fewer referrals might be considered more desirable to the HMO than one who wrote many, but in my experience, most KH doctors here are more concerned about good medicine.

Remember, too, anytime you want to enter the private pay-for-treatment medical system, you can. If you absolutely MUST have a native English speaking nephrologist, I am sure you can find one outside the KH system, make an appointment and pay the bill.

I believe that one of the best health aids is also a good friend/neighbor who can help you during the time that you are learning Hebrew.  Believe it or not, you can manage with a doctor who is not a native English speaker. Medicine is international. The doctors all read English--it's the professional language. Even the Israel Medical Association publishes English abstracts of all Hebrew articles in its journal. Frequently, it's only the accent that changes. I learned this from a gynecologist. :-)

One of my funniest "I-don't-speak-Hebrew-very-well-but-I'm-trying-to-function-as-a-grownup" stories took place in the office of my first family doctor. After working up enough confidence to see her without being accompanied by a friend with more Hebrew, I went to see her abut  a spot on my nose. Now, you gotta know that the Hebrew for 'nose' and the Hebrew for 'chicken' sound somewhat alike to the oleh ear. I didn't know the Hebrew word for 'wound,' and when I told her that I had a spot on my chicken, she rolled on the floor in hysterics. I know how trying it is to communicate in pidgin Hebrew in the doctor's/dentist's office. Been there, done that. A sense of humor and a good friend will get you through a lot.

Additional to previous lists: There are native and fluent English speaking psychologists (child, family, individual) and a native English speaking certified sex therapist in Karmiel. 

Joyce Armel, MSc, Native English-speaking Speech/Language Therapist.  Call for appointment:  04-990-2442; 04-990-2433

Karmiel in Ramat Rabin.  Rechov Hahagana 4/11.

A couple of folks on this list have mentioned that they signed up for Clalit 'mushlam' or Macabbi Zahav. This is optional extended coverage and I don't know what it costs today (comes out of my bank account). I highly recommend this. Some medications or discounts are available only to extended coverage members.

I worked at Ziv Medical Center in Zefat (formerly known as Sieff Hospital) for over 15 years, retiring July 2009. The Ziv Medical Center has opened a totally new OB unit with state of the art labor & delivery rooms.  As far as births are concerned, I am told  that a woman in labor can go to any hospital anywhere without prior  arrangements. This is because the cost of delivery is paid by B. Leumi (social security) and not K. Holim. As you probably know, all normal births are performed by nurse-midwives in Israel.  MDs participate in caesarians and high risk or problematic births only.

The business of contracts between the kupot and the hospitals is tricky.  Recently Clalit started sending all Karmiel area patients to the Carmel Hospital in Haifa.  Macabbi sends their patients to Rambam or Bnei Zion in Haifa or to Assuta in the Lev HaMifratz Mall in the Kryaot (Haifa suburbs.)