Hospitalization or treatment in a hospital setting can present patients and their families with a new and unfamiliar situation that requires adjustment and support.
The Social Service assists patients and families in coping with illness and its possible effects throughout hospitalization, in preparation for discharge and returning home, and during ongoing treatment in the hospital’s institutes and clinics.
The service includes a large team of social workers with expertise in healthcare and a range of therapeutic areas, including crisis intervention, family therapy, and stress management.
Social workers are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team in every inpatient department, institute, and clinic. Patients and families may contact them directly or through the medical team.
Who We Support
- Patients coping with serious, chronic, or terminal illnesses and disabilities
- At-risk populations, including children, older adults, vulnerable individuals, patients without family support, Holocaust survivors, people with drug or alcohol addiction, and people experiencing homelessness
- Women during pregnancy and the transition to parenthood, fertility treatment, pregnancy loss, or when applying to a pregnancy termination committee
- Trauma survivors, including those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, road or workplace accidents, terrorist attacks, and mass-casualty events
- Underserved populations, including foreign workers and people without residency status
- Children, adults, and older adults with mental health conditions
Individual, Couples and Family Counseling
- Support in coping with the emotional, functional, behavioral, and social effects of illness or disability
- Developing support plans for primary caregivers of family members with chronic or long-term illnesses
- Providing patients and families with information about rights, benefits, and services available in the hospital and community
- Emotional preparation for medical procedures, including complex or invasive tests and preparing children for surgery
- Guidance for patients and families in preparing for discharge and returning home, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team
- Coordination and referral to continuing care services, including rehabilitation, nursing care, health funds, social services, National Insurance, hospice care, and volunteer organizations
Group Support and Intervention
The hospital operates a Group Support Unit, jointly run by the Social Service and Nursing Division. The unit provides short-term group support tailored to the needs of patients and their families.
Group sessions offer participants an opportunity to share experiences, receive information, gain emotional support, and develop new coping strategies. The groups are led by healthcare professionals from various fields and are based on psychoeducational approaches combining information, emotional support, and cognitive-behavioral techniques.
Groups include:
- Long-term groups: 8–12 sessions
- Counseling and guidance groups: 1–2 sessions
- Open weekly groups: single sessions focused on a specific topic
Support and information groups are offered in a variety of areas, including IVF, high-risk pregnancy, parents of premature infants, pediatric intensive care, juvenile diabetes, child development, cardiac rehabilitation, dialysis, breast care, oncology and hematology, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, orthopedic surgery, and organ transplantation.
Training and Education
The Social Work Department participates in training the hospital’s multidisciplinary teams, including physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, in psychosocial issues such as domestic violence, complex birth situations, pregnancy loss, and children at risk.
The department also trains social work students from universities and colleges as part of their academic programs. Social workers serve as lecturers and instructors in various academic settings, including nursing and medical education programs.
Special Projects
- Healthcare Group Facilitation Program: A joint initiative of the Social Work Department and Nursing Division that provides training in short-term group facilitation for healthcare professionals, including social workers, nurses, physicians, physiotherapists, dietitians, and occupational therapists.
- Public Information and Support: Social workers participate in online forums and communities, providing information and support related to illness and its effects.
- Research: The department conducts research aimed at advancing social work practice in healthcare by combining clinical experience with current academic research. Its work has been published in international professional and medical literature and presented at conferences in Israel and abroad.
NETA Center
The NETA Center is an acute care center for survivors of sexual assault, providing care for up to seven days following the assault. A multidisciplinary team provides medical and emotional support while ensuring privacy, confidentiality, and a protected environment.
The center operates 24 hours a day. The team includes a social worker who provides emotional support and assistance in communicating with the relevant authorities when needed, as well as physicians trained in medical and forensic examinations and preventive treatment. Children under age 14 are examined by a specially trained pediatrician.
Contact with the NETA Center is confidential and does not require a financial commitment.
Please note: The hospital team is required to report cases to the police; however, the survivor is not required to file a police complaint.
Phone: *2339
Email: netta@tlvmc.gov.il
Support for Holocaust Survivors
The Social Service provides dedicated support for hospitalized Holocaust survivors, helping them access their rights and connect with relevant community organizations and services.
Two social workers specialize in supporting Holocaust survivors during hospitalization. They visit hospitalized survivors, provide emotional support, assist with accessing benefits and services, and refer them to appropriate organizations in the community.
Eligible survivors may also receive short-term nursing assistance at home following hospitalization, provided through the Foundation for the Welfare of Holocaust Victims.
Patients and families can contact the dedicated social workers through the department’s social worker or head nurse.
Support for Hospitalized Senior Citizens
The Segula Unit is a rights and information center for senior citizens, established by the Ministry for Social Equality and operating in several hospitals across Israel. The unit provides information and assistance to hospitalized senior citizens at Tel Aviv Medical Center and their families regarding healthcare rights and benefits.
Professionally managed by a social worker and staffed by specially trained volunteers, the unit provides guidance on issues including National Insurance benefits and nursing care allowances, benefits for Holocaust survivors, permits for employing foreign caregivers, health fund benefits, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation and mobility equipment.
Contact Information
Location: Arison Building, Ground Floor, Piano Plaza, Patient Information and Service Center
Operating Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
Phone: 03-6947680
Email: sgula@tlvmc.gov.il
Tel: 03-6947529.