Preparedness Saves Lives: Sheba’s Resilience During Recent Hostilities

By Yoel Har-Even, Head of Sheba Global

On October 7th, following an unprecedented, brutal attack by Hamas terrorists, over 1,400 men, women, children, and elderly were murdered in the most horrific ways possible. Thousands more were injured, requiring urgent care, while rockets began falling across the country.

It pains me to acknowledge that Israel has seen more than its share of war. We have been forced to fight for survival ever since the country was established in 1948 and are doing so to this day.?

This did, however, teach us the value and critical importance of preparedness.

Nowhere is this more true than in the healthcare system, which stands as a central pillar of every nation, particularly in times of crisis.

Serving as the cornerstone of Israel’s healthcare system, Sheba has been leading emergency medical response efforts in the country since its inception, being both the primary national tertiary facility for the treatment of complex patients as well as housing Israel’s national rehabilitation center.

As such, we know, better than most, the challenges associated with safeguarding the continuum of care during warfare.?

Since hostilities began, Sheba has opened a new ICU ward, tripled the capacity of its rehabilitation hospital, and moved all its critical departments into secure, fortified, predetermined areas. We have also supported many of Israel’s other healthcare facilities with staff and equipment while dispatching advanced, mobile simulation training teams to instruct IDF medical personnel on emergency care.

At this point, I assume you might be wondering- how? How could we maintain all routine medical activities, treat hundreds of wounded civilians and soldiers, as well as provide support to the IDF and other healthcare facilities while contending with persistent rocket fire?

For the benefit of our colleagues across the globe, and in accordance with Sheba’s commitment to ensuring those in need everywhere have uninterrupted access to medical care, I would like to share some of our experience in this area. To maintain the continual and optimal functioning of healthcare facilities during emergencies, and warfare in particular, we must follow the application of six critical preparedness principles:

• Prioritizing staff resilience
• Establishing robust emergency protocols
• Ongoing training and education of staff for emergencies
• Creating a resilient cyber security and IT infrastructure
• Fortifying critical medical departments
• Ensuring an uninterrupted, reliable supply of electricity, water, food and medical gasses?

By adhering to these fundamental tenets, Sheba has managed to not only maintain its routine activities but expand its capacities to meet the new challenges. With geopolitical tensions on the rise across the globe, I urge hospitals to take our hard-learned lessons to heart and to make certain they are prepared for every eventuality.

I invite you to learn more about emergency preparedness at Sheba here:

https://sheba-global.com/hospital-emergency-preparedness/