Alliance for Patient Safety

Yael German (Yesh Atid):

That is correct. I must say that from my first moment at the Ministry of Health, and I was at the Ministry of Health for one year and eight months, I came across at least two cases, in the event where I met personally with the Taub family, as well as in the case of the Horowitz family, but there were also other cases.

I must say that as the Minister of Health, it was very difficult for me to move things in regards to this issue. Very much so. I called the new office auditor and told her, this is the issue you must focus on. It is a problem. I had appealed on decisions I have made, but I felt that this is exactly as Vered had said, that it is not acceptable that the Ministry of Health will be the one which audits itself. Even now when I sit here, after all, I know Boaz Lev and appreciates him very much, but I don’t think that Boaz Lev – and I believe that even he may admit that – he cannot, in light of his personal familiarity with a large number of the physicians against which complaints are submitted – it is difficult. It is almost impossible to come and blame former friends.

Even though a decision was made that the commission will be headed by a person who no longer actively engages in medicine, and it is true that Dr. Lev no longer does, in fact he has retired, or like retired, but this cannot be. I am actively joining Vered words, as recommendations. This was not an unequivocal recommendation, this was an opportunity to remove this out of the Ministry of Health. There is a basic and inherent conflict of interests. People cannot testify against their friends, and it is very difficult, even when compensation are sued, or a claim is actively pursued, it is very difficult to find physicians who will testify against their friends, any by this may blame themselves, because everyone thinks, wait a moment, one day, I may end up in their shoes.

For this reason I think that the issue of medical negligence is very deep, first and foremost it touches on human lives, but it also touched in financial matters, since we have here, and the State Comptroller raised this point, cross financing of the public medicine subsidizing the private medicine. There is defensive medicine where physicians are afraid at times, since they are concerned about being sued. This means this entire subject requires discussion.

I have been asking for more than six months a discussion in the Labor and welfare Committee. And I do hope that at the end I will receive it. I have received three letters form the Labor and welfare Committee which told me that the Ministry of Health prepares a law memorandum. In July I received a letter telling me that the memorandum will soon be issued, and in December I received another letter that it will soon be issued; and now, On 06 / February I received another letter that the memorandum will be issued within a few days.

The chairperson, Karin Elharar:

Yes, time is relative.

Yael German (Yesh Atid):

However, even if the law memorandum is issued, and even if they will regulate all the issues commented on and illuminated by the State Comptroller, as long as the Commission sits in the Ministry of Health – – –

The chairperson, Karin Elharar:

Of course.

Yael German (Yesh Atid):

Or as an alternative, at the minimum, as long as a physician is standing at the head of the committee and not a judge – this is the minimal alternative – if it is not accepted that it should be taken out of the Ministry of Health. At the minimum a judge should be heading the committee, and I think this should be our conclusion here.