Health experts aim to boost first-aid coordination

Professional committee that will recommend ways of improving urgent pre-hospital care, medical evacuation services appointed by Health Ministry.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Magen David Adom ambulances 311 (photo credit: Reuters)
Magen David Adom ambulances 311
(photo credit: Reuters)
A professional committee that will recommend ways of improving the supply of first aid, urgent pre-hospital care and medical evacuation services has been appointed by the Health Ministry.
Dr. Boaz Lev, the ministry’s associate director-general who is directly responsible for supervising Magen David Adom’s activities, named Dr. Boaz Tadmor – deputy director of the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva – to head the four-member committee, which is due to make its recommendations within two months.
The other members are Dr.Col. Baruch Marganit of the air force, David Krause of the Israel Police and former Health Ministry and Justice Ministry adviser, lawyer Gilad Bok.
The committee was not specifically asked to recommend the establishment of an alternative to Magen David Adom, which is the country’s official rescue, firstaid and blood supply organization.
It was asked to harmonize the relationships among various organizations that provide similar services and “examine all the issues in the network of urgent medical services and evacuation in the state.” In recent years, MDA has been in conflict with United Hatzalah, which is a totally volunteer group that does not charge for its services; MDA is bound by law to charge.
Independent experts told The Jerusalem Post that establishing an organization that would totally compete with MDA would cause a major waste of resources because of duplication but that improvements can be made in the veteran organization.