One look at the capital projects that we have completed recently and you can see how much they have advanced Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center's core mission: covering cancer care, research, maternal and newborn health, the elderly, emergency medicine, and many other initiatives. We have an endless plan for mission-critical programs, and we will continue to pursue our vision of excellence in patient-focused care and innovative multi-disciplinary research.
We appreciate the many ways in which you support Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center; it is you who have given us the power to achieve these milestones. Let us hope that with the blooming of spring flowers, we will continue to help new life spring forth and heal those who are sick and injured so more people can enjoy the renewal and freedom this season brings.
"Today we know how to tailor personalized treatment to each cancer patient. This is the new world of oncology and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center is leading the way in perfecting the patient experience," said Prof. Ido Wolf, Director of the Oncology Division. "Just as we built Check Point Software Technologies, this is how we will build the most advanced technological and medical system for cancer patients in Israel," said donor Mr. Marius Nacht. "I hope other people will become donors in order to realize this vision and put the State of Israel on the global medical map."
The Alexander Grass Foundation, with visionary support from Elizabeth Grass Weese and Roger Grass, generously donated $5 million toward the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Newborn Care Center, which will be named after their father, international philanthropist Alexander Grass. The new center makes a commitment to mothers and fathers to give their babies a warm, loving start on their life's journey.
Parents-to-be will now have a comfortable and supportive delivery and post-partum experience thanks to the generosity of Daniela and Daniel Steinmetz, who have donated to establish the ultra-modern Steinmetz Maternity Care Center. The center will support thousands of deliveries each year, helping address Lis Hospital's natural growing pains from the high level of demand for services. The center will meet new standards of care for parents and their babies as they bond, with family privacy and a stress-reducing environment.
Acute care for the elderly
Thanks to the Arnon family, a new 32-bed unit will care for vulnerable geriatric patients
The Medical Center celebrated a major advancement in geriatric care with the opening of a 32-bed unit geared to the needs of patients over age 70. Israel Prize laureate Prof. Ruth Arnon and her husband, Dr. Uriel Arnon, donated $1 million toward the new unit.
After a successful career, internationally renowned biochemist and Professor of Immunology at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Prof. Arnon is generously helping support the elderly population in desperate need of targeted services.
Unit Manager Dr. Yael Orion said that elderly patients deserve optimal care, including participation in treatment decision-making. Prof. Ronni Gamzu commented that people who are now elderly and frail helped bring the nation to where it is today and they need support from the younger generations now more than ever. Fortunately, more help is on the way – an additional donation for another new internal medicine unit – graciously offered by Prof. Arnon.
Critical care
Two step-down care suites for geriatric patients donated by Bella Einav
Seriously ill geriatric patients often need more medical attention than standard patients treated in an internal medicine unit. Bella Einav recognized this need and stepped in to help by generously donating two step-down suites.
The Medical Center honored Ms. Einav in the facility's opening ceremony, which was held with Ms. Einav's family members, CEO Prof. Ronni Gamzu and Friends of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Director Ronit Blum.
During the ceremony, Ms. Einav said that she made this donation because addressing the challenging circumstances of the elderly has always been important to her. "Even an old man nearing the end of his life deserves honor and quality care conditions," Ms. Einav said.
Immediate response during emergencies
The Sylvan Adams Emergency & Trauma Center will benefit hundreds of thousands of patients every year
After 20 years, the Emergency & Trauma Center will finally undergo a major expansion and facelift. Thanks to Sylvan Adams, the long-time Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center supporter, and many other generous donors, patients in need of emergency care will have shorter wait times, streamlined administration, and accelerated treatment.
The new ultra-modern three-storey facility will enable the response team to pair its medical best practices with comfortable accommodations, privacy, and efficient treatment for patients and their families.
ICU isolation
Bequest supports intensive care patients undergoing stem cell transplants and those needing isolation
For some intensive care patients who are gravely ill or have compromised immune systems, isolation is the only way to help them on their road to recovery. Yaakov Mintz understood the importance of this environment, especially for patients who have undergone stem cell transplants. Mr. Mintz left behind a legacy of support for these patients; in his will, he made a bequest to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center – a financial gift to build two isolation rooms in the ICU expressly for highly vulnerable patients. So, in his life’s final acts, he invested in the lives of others – a truly selfless deed of kindness.
Pursuing the vision
Learn about Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center's planned initiatives and how you can support our success.
The Center for Healthy Living
Your opportunity to empower people to be and feel their best
Most people want to live healthy lifestyles. But, the path of least resistance does not usually pass through learning about wellness, taking care of chronic conditions, and being proactive about health. The mission of the Center for Healthy Living is to make health the option of choice and a priority for Israeli residents who have acute or chronic disease -- and for those who wish to prevent these conditions. The center will also be a popular destination for international visitors seeking world-class services in an ideal location at reasonable rates.
The Center for Healthy Living will promote quality of life and longevity through healthy lifestyle development and preventive care. Each program participant will receive wellness coaching and a doable plan of action tailored to his or her individual goals, health status, and lifestyle. The center will empower people to succeed by providing wellness insights, knowledge, and strategies that promote personal engagement, motivation, and permanent change.
Pediatric Rehabilitation
Support progressive rehab services to help children achieve their full potential
For children who are sick, injured, or suffer from a genetic disorder, Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital delivers state-of-the-art diagnostics, life-changing treatment, and progressive follow-up services in order to maximize short-term outcomes. However, to ensure long-term progress and recovery, the hospital must be able to offer children comprehensive rehabilitation services.
New technologies at the cutting edge of innovation are becoming today’s reality, enabling children to function in ways that, until recently, were mere science fiction. The current lack of a pediatric rehabilitation facility is impeding recovery and needlessly hospitalizing children while they await the treatment they need.
The Pediatric Rehabilitation Department will remedy this resource problem with both rehabilitative care excellence and research programs to break new ground in pediatric rehab. The department will integrate Dana-Dwek’s medical, technological, and holistic vision to optimize children’s quality of life into adulthood.
What’s new?
Patient- and family-centered service
The New Gedalya Doron Information and Service Center sets the new standard in compassionate, personalized support
Visiting the hospital can be overwhelming for patients, especially when they are feeling sick or are apprehensive about undergoing a procedure. Beyond medical treatment, the service and empathy they receive sets the stage for their care. Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center has taken the lead to define what hospital service should be, designing from the ground up the integrated services that patients and their families need and receive – in a centralized location.
In affiliation with the Ministry of Health, the Gedalya Doron Information and Service Center will be the one-stop shop for HMO authorizations, social benefit approvals due to medical status changes, and reduced surgery waitlist times, to name just a few of the services provided.
The Information and Service Center, open from morning to night, is also a friendly face, a source for assistance, directions, and answers to inquiries. Prof. Ronni Gamzu says, “The patient experience in public medicine is undergoing a revolution. Today, we should deliver nothing less than the level of service that leading business entities provide. When we put the patient first, everything else falls into place.”
The center was made possible thanks to a generous donation by Mr. Gedalya Doron. Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and Minister for Social Equality Gila Gamliel and Mr. Doron and his family, took part in the opening of the center on March 22.
A healthy heartbeat
First time in Israel: Minimally invasive treatment to prevent chronic arrhythmia
Prof. Nachum Nesher, Director of the Outpatient Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinic and Director of the Surgical Arrhythmia Treatment Program, recently performed three minimally invasive surgeries to prevent chronic arrhythmia. He used a new medical device with burn quality control capabilities that has never before been used in Israel. The endoscopic surgeries were performed under the guidance of Prof. Mark Lahmer of Maastricht in the Netherlands, and in collaboration with Dr. Raphael Rosso, Director of the Atrial Fibrillation Clinic at the Medical Center.
Reducing pain
A first in Israel: Electrode implant to treat severe headaches
A 31-year-old man finally found respite from eight years of severe headaches thanks to an innovative surgery, performed by neurosurgeon Ido Strauss. Dr. Strauss implanted a deep brain stimulation electrode in the brain of Adham Dagger and the patient reported reduced severity in the headaches from which he suffered. This was the first time this type of surgery was performed in Israel. Dagger was being treated by Dr. Amnon Mosek, Deputy Director of the Neurology Division and an expert on headaches.
Accelerating rib repair
Trauma Department breaks new ground in mending broken ribs
Dr. Dror Soffer, Director of the Trauma Department, has announced a new procedure to fix broken ribs. A patient who had sustained a severe rib injury from a dangerous fall was the first patient to undergo this new surgery at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. This development is important news for about 20 percent of trauma patients who suffer from similar injuries. Until now, the standard treatment has been limited to breathing support and anti-pain medication.
New medical services
The neurology brain trust
Another Israeli first: A center to prevent cerebral embolisms
More than 50% of ischemic stroke cases are caused by embolisms that block the cerebral blood vessels. The Center for the Prevention of Cerebral Embolisms was recently established to help prevent these obstructions in patients that can lead to a serious or fatal condition. The new center in the Neurology Division is managed by Dr. Hen Hallevi.
The center focuses on a personalized approach to comprehensive care, centralizing treatment under one roof, performing all tests and coordinating multidisciplinary discussions on patient interventions – to prevent blood-flow blockages to the brain.
New hope for muscular dystrophy
Multidisciplinary clinic for SMA patients has opened
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a debilitating genetic disease. Without treatment, patients lose motor neuron function and experience progressive muscle wasting. When it affects the respiratory muscles, the disease can lead to premature death. A newly developed drug, approved in the US and EU in 2017, was a breakthrough in treating the disease, which had been incurable. In January 2018, the new treatment with Spinraza was approved in Israel, and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center is now the leading center in the country offering the new treatment.
The Medical Center recently opened a new clinic that offers multidisciplinary care for children and adult patients with SMA by a multidisciplinary team of experts in neurology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, endocrinology, cardiology, nephrology, genetics, and physiotherapy. Prof. Aviva Fattal-Valevski, Director of the Pediatric Neurology Institute, and Prof. Vivian Drory from the Neurology Division are the managers of the pediatric and adult clinics, respectively. To mark the opening of the new clinic, parents of children with SMA held a symposium to discuss ways of treating the disease and thanked the Medical Center, saying, "The Sourasky Medical Center has been with us from the start… Doctors from all fields are in one place and able to answer our many questions. We are extremely thankful."
Saving kids from harm
Multidisciplinary clinic for SMA Pediatric Toxicology Service founded to provide instant response to serious poisoningtients has opened
Hundreds of children are referred to the Medical Center each year for treatment of acute poisoning.
The newly established Pediatric Toxicology Service will provide diagnosis, treatment and follow-up services to patients suffering from acute poisoning.
Dr. Miguel Glatstein, a specialist in pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine, who recently trained in clinical toxicology in Denver, Colorado, will manage the service.
Solving disease mysteries
Diagnosing autoimmune conditions that are disguised as other disorders
The Neurology Division has opened a new clinic and laboratory, which enable doctors to determine whether patients initially diagnosed with serious diseases such as dementia or epilepsy or psychiatric conditions are actually suffering from an autoimmune disorder – a rare condition that has symptoms similar to degenerative or genetic diseases but is otherwise treatable. The clinic is managed by Dr. Avi Gadoth who completed his fellowship in the Autoimmune Neurology Center at Mayo Clinic.
Research excellence
Treating excessive sweating
Major progress: Improvement in condition reported for 94% of patients treated with drug
Doctors from Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center have found that a drug prescribed for the treatment of urinary incontinence can also successfully treat hyperhidrosis – excessive sweating. Some 3% of the population suffers from this ailment.
Most hyperhidrosis treatments are expensive and invasive – and can include surgery to remove excessive sweat glands or repeated botulinum toxin (Botox-type) injections into affected glands. Dr. Ofir Arzi, Director of the Center for Aesthetic Medicine and Prof. Eli Sprecher, Director of the Department of Dermatology, treated 61 patients with a gel comprising a 10% concentration of oxybutynin chloride. Ninety-four percent of the patients reported improvement in their condition and about 30% of them described “significant improvement.”
A spring in one's step
Non-invasive brain stimulation improves walking stagnation in Parkinson's disease patients
A breakthrough study shows that non-invasive brain stimulation reduces walking stagnation in Parkinson's disease patients. The study – conducted at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center – examined the immediate after-effects of non-invasive stimulation of the brain’s motor and cognitive areas and found that it reduces the severity of “frozen movement” in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Up to 80% of Parkinson’s patients suffer freezing of gait in advanced stages of the disease. Researchers include Prof. Jeff Hausdorff, principal investigator, Prof. Nir Giladi, Dr. Talia Herman of the Department of Neurology and PhD student Moria Dagan. Collaborators included colleagues from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. The results of this study were published in the prestigious scientific journal, Movement Disorders.
