The state-of-the-art Danny & Cathy Rosenkranz Oncology/Hematology ER at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) in Haifa, Israel, is a game-changer for the thousands of cancer patients in Northern Israel.
L-R: Dr. Alona Zer, director of Medical Oncology at Fishman Oncology Center, Professor Irit Ben-Aharon, Professor Michael Halberthal at the inauguration ceremony. Photography: Rambam HCC.
Thanks to the generosity of Rambam benefactors, oncology patients in Northern Israel are now benefitting from a dedicated Oncology/Hematology Emergency Room (ER) in the Joseph Fishman Oncology Center at Rambam, the first-of-its-kind in the region. The new Danny & Cathy Rosenkranz Oncology/Hematology ER, which opened yesterday will provide cancer patients with a holistic and comprehensive approaches to their conditions, based on the highest of international standards. This, along with disease-specific urgent medical services, will reduce general ER referrals and hospitalizations.
Cancer patients require ongoing medical treatment and specialized care. However, anti-cancer treatments suppress their immune system, making the risk of infection high, especially if being cared for in a general ER. The challenge facing Rambam was the provision of optimal acute ER care for the thousands of cancer patients treated annually. To address this need, Rambam established a dedicated Oncology/Hematology ER the first of its kind in Northern Israel and the second in all of Israel.
During yesterday’s inauguration ceremony, Professor Michael Halberthal, Rambam’s director general, summarized, “We made a strategic decision to establish a dedicated Oncology/ Hematology ER as part of the hospital’s strategic care plan. We will continue to be at the forefront of innovation and provide the highest level of medical care to the residents of Northern Israel. The Danny and Cathy Rosenkranz Oncology/Hematology ER is a significant step forward in improving cancer care. We estimate that this ER will serve approximately 5,000 patients every year.”
Professor Irit Ben-Aharon, Director of the Fishman Oncology Center explains: “This oncology ER is intended to provide patients currently suffering from disease-related or treatment-related complications and side effects with a timely response and professional treatment by a multidisciplinary oncology and hemato-oncology team. In addition to addressing the side effects, which become increasingly complex with the newer biological and immunotherapeutic treatments, the Danny & Cathy Rosenkranz Oncology/Hematology ER will also provide supportive and urgent palliative care.” According to Professor Ben-Aharon, Rambam has also developed a dedicated app to ease the process for patients. By answering a series of targeted questions, the app directs patients to the hospital’s general ER or the new Oncology ER based on their symptoms.
According to Professor Ben-Aharon, one of the significant advantages of specialized care is the presence of a skilled and experienced team of oncological doctors and nurses to provide Rambam’s cancer patients with urgent medical services, including imaging, laboratory services, and multidisciplinary consultations. “This is a significant development for cancer patients in Northern Israel, who will benefit from a dedicated, separate, and spacious ER in the Joseph Fishman Oncology Center. The new Oncology/Hematology ER includes 16 treatment stations including fully equipped isolation rooms, facilitating provision of efficient and quality treatment in a patient-friendly, warm, and secure environment. “It is a real leap forward,” says Professor Ben-Aharon, “Studies show that comprehensive cancer-oriented treatment, when provided in a specialized oncology ER, reduces hospitalizations and shortens hospital stays compared with a general ER.”
The Fishman Oncology Center at Rambam annually treats over 5,000 new patients and conducts over 29,000 chemotherapy/biological treatments and 40,000 radiotherapy treatments. About 2,500 oncology patients are admitted to Rambam’s general ER every year, and Professor Ben-Aharon estimates that the number of patients arriving at the Oncology/Hematology ER could double. Emergency treatment will be available throughout the week until the late afternoon, with plans to expand.
About the Donors
The establishment of a dedicated Oncology/Hematology ER was made possible by the generous support of Danny and Cathy Rosenkranz, visionary friends from London, who actively participated in the detailed planning of the dedicated facility. The couple have a close relationship with Rambam and are committed Zionists. Plans for the Oncology/Hematology ER emphasized creating a calm, soothing, and warm environment while meeting the latest international standards of urgent cancer care.
The Ruth and Shmuel Gantz Reception Area was made possible by the generosity of the Gantz Family from Haifa. Bita Nuhavandi Morovati, a friend from Los Angeles, was treated for a childhood cancer at Rambam, and 38 years later, she honored her late husband, David Avitan Moravati of blessed memory, with the establishment of an examination area in the Oncology/Hematology ER.
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