Israel Launches National Palliative Care Expansion Program in 27 Hospitals
Israel's Ministry of Health has launched a national program with a 25 million shekel investment to expand palliative care across 27 general hospitals, addressing severe shortages and improving quality of life for patients with terminal illnesses.
The Ministry of Health has launched a national program to expand palliative care across 27 general hospitals in Israel. The initiative involves an investment of 25 million shekels this year and an annual budget of 20 million shekels starting in 2027. The program aims to broaden assistance for patients with severe and terminal illnesses, alleviate pain and other symptoms, and provide mental health support and guidance to patients and their families.
Supporting Complex Needs
Dr. Efrat Gil, head of the geriatrics division at the Ministry of Health, explains that patients who struggle to express pain or face severe physical and psychological distress—such as individuals with advanced dementia or young people diagnosed with ALS—are among those in urgent need of this care. Palliative care is particularly vital during the final stages of illness when communication with the patient becomes difficult.
For people with dementia who stop eating towards the end of life, the palliative approach allows them to eat what they love and whenever they want. We stop weighing and counting calories and give them the quality of life they need.
In addition to pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and anxiety, the multidisciplinary teams assist patients and their families with treatment planning, medical decision-making, and navigating crises throughout the course of the disease.
Overcoming Shortages and Regional Gaps
Although a director-general circular issued in 2009 mandated the establishment of palliative units, it lacked dedicated funding. While services have expanded somewhat since then, the response remains inadequate, marked by a shortage of specialists and significant disparities between the central region and the periphery.
The new program, formulated in collaboration with professionals and the Israeli Palliative Society, aims to strengthen existing teams and establish services in hospitals that currently lack dedicated care. The Ministry is fully funding new positions for palliative medicine specialists in every hospital and plans to train 20 new specialists within three years to bridge the staffing gap.
