The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) released a wide-ranging study this week showing that quality of health in the 
There has been a downward trend in general Israeli health since 2005.
country has been declining in recent years. In addition, the report indicated serious disparities in access to healthcare.
The National Health Index, the first study of its kind in Israel, was based on recognized international parameters. In this way, it is possible to measure Israel's health index in relation to comparable Western societies. The index was compiled under the direction of experts from hospitals, health funds, the Brookdale Institute, the Israeli Center for Disease Control, and the nation's universities. It was released publicly in connection with the 41st IMA Conference, which is taking place this week in Jerusalem.
According to the National Health Index report, there has been a downward trend in general Israeli health since 2005. Israel is falling below the European Union in many of the indicators used to obtain this index - such as instances of diabetes and cancer - with no indication of improvement. On the other hand, there are signs of future improvement, such as Israel having relatively fewer smokers than in the EU. In the area of preventive medicine as well, according to the IMA report, Israel has seen a four-year decline, which appears to be continuing.
One sign of positive change in the National Health Index since 2005 is the level of public satisfaction with Israeli medical professionals. At the same time, the public has expressed increasing dissatisfaction with the healthcare system. Israelis are not satisfied, for example, with the accessibility of medicines and the process of medical referrals.
Healthcare Inequality
In preparing the National Health Index, the IMA examined the relative accessibility of healthcare across the socioeconomic and ethnic spectrum. The results revealed a clear inequality between various sectors of society - periphery as opposed to central Israel, poor as opposed to wealthy, and Arabs as opposed to Jews.
According to the study, infant mortality is higher in the northern and southern peripheries of the country than it is in the central regions. This statistic, however, is trending towards equality. Hospitals in the periphery, it was found, have a shortage of beds and surgical theaters as compared with hospitals in Israel's major cities. This inequality is expected to continue, says the IMA.
The study found that the poorest five percent of the population forgoes medical treatment and needed drugs due to the required expenses. However, the trend is towards growing expenditures for needed drugs among the poorest Israelis, the IMA study shows, although the inequality in seeking out medical treatment looks to be a continuing trend.
In a comparison of infant mortality among Jews and Arabs, the National Health Index statistics show that Arab citizens have a higher infant mortality rate (7 out of every 1,000 births) than Israeli Jews (2.9). This inequality appears to be a continuing trend, as well.
An additional indicator tracked by the IMA study was the relative portion of the nation's healthcare expenses paid for directly by private citizens, as opposed to government subsidies. Israelis pay directly for 35.5 percent of their medical services and medicines, with the state paying for the rest (with taxes, also raised from the public).
Israel Will Reach the Bottom Third by 2015
IMA officials warn that if the negative trends continue, the Israeli healthcare system will be rated among the bottom third of the EU nations by 2015.
"The index shows that Israel's healthcare system is average," said IMA Chairman Dr. Yoram Blachar. "Our study... shows that in everything related to the system, that is to say, infrastructure, our situation is the worst. We see great importance in the publication of the index ever year, and in bringing the information to the public, so that we might encourage the state to invest the needed resources in the correct areas."
The National Health Index was compiled under the direction of experts from hospitals, health funds, the Brookdale Institute, the Israeli Center for Disease Control, and the nation's universities. It was released publicly in connection with the 41st IMA Conference, which is taking place this week in Jerusalem.