Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh)

The Shamir Medical Center (SMC) is the third largest government hospital in Israel providing modern, comprehensive care to the residents of Rishon le Zion, Lod, Ramle, and settlements along the “Old Road to Jerusalem.”

The hospital cares for an ever-growing population, estimated today at half a million. As well as the inhabitants of the area and soldiers in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), many patients seen at the Shamir Medical Center are new immigrants from Russia and Ethiopia.

CURRENT PROJECT:

The Institute of Pulmonary Functions and Diseases

The Institute of Pulmonary Functions and Diseases at Shamir Medical Center treats 4,600 respiratory, lung, and lung function disease patients each year. The Institute provides counseling – both for the inpatient and surgical wards, and also performs assessments of high-risk patients before surgery.

The Institute conducts advanced research in the field of lung physiology, sleep medicine, and clinical studies of pharmaceutical companies and non-invasive respiratory best practices among hospitalized patients.

SMC urgently needs to rebuild the Institute for three primary reasons:

1. In recent years, the hospital has seen a steady increase in lung disease and lung cancer. In addition, recent data indicates a significant increase in reported damages in lung function due to COVID-19. A 50% increase has been predicted in the number of patients we treat every year, which will require a much larger designated area, fully equipped with devices and highly trained medical personnel to meet the
   needs of the population.
2. The previous site of the Pulmonary Institute was a small and outdated facility that dates back to the early-mid 1900s. Despite repeated attempts to maintain the facility, the patchwork over the years resulted in a substandard facility and poor overall experience for patients.
3. The Institute needed to be evacuated in order to allow for the building of a New Emergency Medicine Department and Surgical Tower. The first step to become the largest hospital in Israel was rebuilding and expanding the gateway and heart of the medical centre. This meant establishing a new emergency medicine department and a hospitalization tower on the site of the oldest buildings. The New Pulmonary Institute was rebuilt and moved to a new location, situated at the top of the existing Laboratory building. This is a prime location as it is situated next to the new Emergency Medicine Department and Surgical Tower. 

The New Pulmonary Institute will offer patients and medical staff a more respectful and high standard facility that meets modern standards. The expansion will provide additional doctor’s rooms, hospitalization stations, and medical treatment rooms for patients. The building process for the Institute was recently completed and the brand new Institute of Pulmonary Functions and Diseases is now open!

Read a story about Shamir Medical Center’s Pulmonary Institute in a recent issue of ORAH magazine: