Page 5 - Soroka brochure
P. 5
The Need
Unfortunately, at present, the number of size of the population.
available intensive care beds does not meet
the needs of the population and often the This gap affects our ability to provide service
staff is unable to admit patients who require to the population, especially in light of the fact
intensive care. that Soroka is the sole medical center in a
very large geographical area in which there
The number of intensive care beds in Israel are no other intensive care services. Every day,
is one of the lowest among the OECD patients whose chances of survival would
countries (only 2.5% of all hospital beds, while improve if they were admitted to the ICUs
in North America 15% of hospital beds are remain in regular wards for intensive care
intensive care beds, and in Europe over 7%). due to a lack of ICU beds. Mortality rates in
In the southern region, which Soroka serves, these cases are higher than those of patients
the proportion of intensive care beds is who are given an opportunity to receive
among the lowest in Israel in relation to the treatment in an ICU.
