New collaboration between Maccabi and Medical Care

A recent study by Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem found a 35% increase in heart attacks during the first three months of the war in Israel compared to the same period last year. During these months, 94 urgent heart attack cases were treated, compared to only 63 in the same period the previous year. The data also show an increase in the number of patients admitted to the intensive cardiac care unit, from 261 last year to 295 during the war. The study further indicates an increase in arrhythmia cases due to stress, which affects blood vessel contraction, potentially leading to a heart attack.

Due to the conversion of central cardiac recovery centers into recovery centers for soldiers and the wounded, Maccabi Health Fund has signed an agreement with the integrated rehabilitation hospital, Medical Care in Bat Yam. This agreement, facilitated through Form 17, could save patients between NIS 3,250 and NIS 4,550 for a 5-7 day recovery period following cardiac events. The heart recovery center, spanning 1,250 square meters, includes 35 beds. To date, 35 patients are admitted weekly, with the center expected to accommodate around 150 patients per month.

Under the new agreement, Maccabi members, subject to eligibility criteria and approval through Form 17, are entitled to receive recovery services at Medical Care after cardiac events. It's emphasized that members should verify eligibility with Maccabi representatives before receiving services under the agreement. The heart recovery center is intended for patients recovering from heart attacks, heart surgeries, TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve replacement), pacemaker or defibrillator implantation, interventional catheterization, and grade 2 or 3 heart failure and/or a significant decrease in left ventricular function (LVEF less than 35%).

How Does the Recovery Work?The recovery department at Medical Care offers an integrative approach, providing 24/7 medical and nursing supervision for the patient and their family. The multidisciplinary team includes senior physicians, nursing staff, a social worker, a dietitian, and physical activity instructors. Each patient receives a personalized treatment plan, based on a questionnaire completed via an app and an intake meeting with a certified psychotherapist. The personalized plan includes various enrichment programs and individual treatments (at a subsidized cost), tailored to the patient's condition and preferences.

The app allows patients to track their personalized plan, view scheduled treatments and workshops, and access practice materials directly on their mobile phones. Additionally, progress in the patient's emotional state is measured using Helsinki-validated questionnaires. All of this is aimed at helping patients and their families return to normal life as quickly as possible across all areas of life.

Moti Kaplan, Marketing VP of Medical Care, stated: "Many patients scheduled for discharge still experience intense pain, anxiety, and low emotional states, requiring supportive medical and emotional assistance. Especially now, the shortage of suitable recovery centers within the framework of the agreement has increased. The agreement with Maccabi Health Fund will allow its members to utilize recovery services after heart surgeries at no cost."

Tamar Klivanski, Director of Hospital and Clinic Services Procurement at Maccabi, added: "We at Maccabi are pleased to continue leading in the medical services provided to our members, offering primary and exclusive services to our 2.7 million members nationwide. We welcome the collaboration with Medical Care, which allows Maccabi members, subject to eligibility criteria and approval, to receive cardiac rehabilitation at the Medical Care rehabilitation center. We will continue to lead and provide the best medical services for all our members."