A training and health-delivery program for female Palestinian healthcare professionals to be trained in cutting-edge telehealth technology has been launched by Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
It will be run in collaboration with Project Rozana, a nonprofit organization that aims to build better understanding between Israelis and Palestinians through healthcare.
Why is Sheba the place to do it?
Sheba Medical Center is Israel’s largest medical center with 1,580 beds and has been ranked by Newsweek among the top 10 of the world’s best hospitals for the last four years.
OB-GYN Beyond, Sheba’s virtual OB-GYN department, has pioneered maternal-fetal telemedicine, creating a breakthrough in remote fetal assessment by providing remote care for pregnant women in Israel.
The collaboration between OB-GYN Beyond (part of the Sheba Beyond virtual hospital platform) and Project Rozana will set up a remote OB-GYN unit in the rural Hebron area that will be fully operated by Palestinian healthcare teams.
“Our goal at OB-GYN Beyond is to provide women with the medical care they need, wherever they are located,” said Dr. Avi Tsur, director of Sheba’s Women’s Health Innovation Center and director of OB-GYN Beyond.
“Our goal at OB-GYN Beyond is to provide women with the medical care they need, wherever they are located.”
Dr. Avi Tsur, director of Sheba’s Women’s Health Innovation Center and director of OB-GYN Beyond
“Telemedicine allows us to bridge geographical, political and cultural gaps in the shared vision of optimal health outcomes. We are excited to work with Project Rozana in achieving this goal.”
Healthcare: Bridging Israelis and Palestinians
In Israel, the project provides improved healthcare access to Palestinians and engages in professional development and capacity building to contribute to an independent and resilient Palestinian healthcare system.
During a recent visit to Sheba, US Ambassador Thomas Nides was introduced to and impressed by Sheba’s outreach to the Palestinian community, where patients from the Gaza Strip and West Bank are brought to the hospital for urgent care on a daily basis, as well as engaging in collaborative efforts with the PA to educate and train doctors.
“Enabling Palestinians to provide healthcare in their remote communities lays the groundwork for an empowered people,” said Ronit Zimmer, executive director of Project Rozana. “The training at Sheba will enable local healthcare workers to operate virtual clinics in remote areas, eliminating many logistical, bureaucratic, and security obstacles for rural residents seeking quality healthcare.”
The Palestinian team engaged in hands-on training with some of the cutting-edge telehealth technologies used by OB-GYN Beyond such as HeraBEAT by HeraMED for remote fetal monitoring, Datos Health for ongoing monitoring and patient communication, GE Healthcare’s Vscan Air™ for remote fetal ultrasound and Healthy.io for digital urinalysis.
When they finish their training, the participants – gynecologists, midwives, nurses, a pediatrician, a nutritionist, a physical therapist and a psychologist – will get ongoing clinical support on a bimonthly basis from Sheba.