A novel operational protocol for the establishment of a medical facility for receiving returning hostages: structure, process and outcomes.

Background: On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on the State of Israel and kidnapped 251 people into captivity to the Gaza Strip. Several months later, as part of a humanitarian exchange deal, 105 hostages were released in five phases and admitted to one of six hospitals throughout the country for treatment. Shamir Medical Center (SMC) was one of these facilities.

Vaccination in twin pregnancies: comparison between immunization before conception and during pregnancy.

To evaluate the development of neutralizing Anti-Spike Protein IgG (Anti-S-IgG) during twin pregnancies before conception vs. during pregnancy. In this prospective study, three blood samples were collected from pregnant women and subjected to anti-S-IgG immunodiagnostics.

Israeli students' perceptions regarding sperm donation: dilemmas reflections with dominant demographic effect.

Background: Sperm donation has undergone significant medical and social transformations in recent decades. This study aimed to explore Israeli students' perceptions towards sperm donation and investigate the potential influence of demographic characteristics on these perceptions.

Design: The study encompassed 254 students from Tel-Aviv University, who completed an anonymous online survey in January-February 2021.

Do Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio Need to Be Stratified for Age and Comorbidities in COVID-19 Disease? A Subgroup Analysis of Two Distinct Cohorts over Disease Course.

Several studies described neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as markers of COVID-19 severity. In a recently published study, age and frailty affected NLR and PLR more than disease severity. The study compared two distinct cohorts.

Estimating emergency department crowding with stochastic population models.

Environments such as shopping malls, airports, or hospital emergency-departments often experience crowding, with many people simultaneously requesting service. Crowding highly fluctuates, with sudden overcrowding "spikes". Past research has either focused on average behavior, used context-specific models with a large number of parameters, or machine-learning models that are hard to interpret.

Resilience of hospital staff facing COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from Israel.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional burden on already strained healthcare systems worldwide, intensifying the responsibility and burden of healthcare workers. Although most hospital staff continued working during this stressful and challenging unprecedented pandemic, differences in the characteristics and attributes were noted between sectors and hospital departments. Israeli healthcare workers are trained and experienced in coping with national emergencies, but the pandemic has exposed variations in staff reactions.

Patient preferences and choices as a reflection of trust-A cluster analysis comparing postsurgical perceptions in a private and a public hospital.

Background: Active participation of patients in managing their medical treatment is a major component of the patient empowerment process and may contribute to better clinical outcomes. Patient perceptions and preferences affect the patient-physician encounter in a variety of dimensions, such as patient autonomy, freedom of choice and trust in the healthcare system. The Israeli healthcare system is mostly publicly funded, with additional private healthcare services for surgery and other medical treatments.

What can we learn about posthumous sperm retrieval after extra long-term follow-up?

Purpose: To describe spermatozoa extraction rate by testicular sperm extraction (TESE) for posthumous sperm retrieval (PMSR) and examine harvest time impact on sperm motility; to compare long-term sperm usage between married vs. single deceased men.

Methods: This retrospective study included all PMSR cases in Shamir Medical Center during 2003-2021.

Population differences in antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and BNT162b2 vaccination.

The concentration of SARS-CoV-2-specific serum antibodies, elicited by vaccination or infection, is a primary determinant of anti-viral immunity, which correlates with protection against infection and COVID-19. Serum samples were obtained from 25 897 participants and assayed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein RBD IgG antibodies. The cohort was composed of newly vaccinated BNT162b2 recipients, in the first month or 6 months after vaccination, COVID-19 patients and a general sample of the Israeli population.

Safety and humoral responses to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination of SARS-CoV-2 previously infected and naive populations.

Since COVID-19 risk of reinfection is of great concern, the safety and efficacy of the mRNA-based vaccines in previously infected populations should be assessed. We studied 78 individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-19, who received a single dose of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, and 1:2 ratio matched infection-naïve cohort who received two injections. The evaluation procedure included symptom monitoring, and serological tests.

Early and long term antibody kinetics of asymptomatic and mild disease COVID-19 patients.

Most patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. However, the early and late antibody kinetics, and the association between antibody levels, clinical symptoms, and disease phase in these patients have not yet been fully defined. Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 patients and their household contacts were evaluated over a period four months.

[THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND BIG DATA ON HEALTHCARE].

The fourth industrial revolution has led to a paradigm shift in the world of data; this paper reviews the implications on the medical and health services. These changes include: -The transition to big data: New layers of information such as longitudinal data, OMICS, information from social networks and the internet will be added to the conventional sources of information: anamnesis, physical examination, lab results etc. and will assist in medical decisions.

The prevalence and underreporting of needlestick injuries among hospital workers: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) are known occupational risks among health-care workers. Reporting these injuries is important for early prevention and management of blood-borne infections. We investigated the prevalence and characteristics of NSIs and underreporting among hospital workers (HWs) from different sectors.

Nurses' Perspectives on Patient Satisfaction and Expectations: An International Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study With Implications for Evidence-Based Practice.

Background: Addressing patient expectations is necessary to achieve high satisfaction. However, few data are available on nurses' perceptions and performance with respect to patient expectations and satisfaction.

Objectives: This international multicenter study aimed to: (a) evaluate nurses' attitudes and performance with respect to patient satisfaction and expectations, and (b) identify predictors of nurses' inquiry of patients' satisfaction at the point of discharge.

The patient satisfaction chasm: the gap between hospital management and frontline clinicians.

Background: Achieving high levels of patient satisfaction requires hospital management to be proactive in patient-centred care improvement initiatives and to engage frontline clinicians in this process.

Method: We developed a survey to assess the attitudes of clinicians towards hospital management activities with respect to improving patient satisfaction and surveyed clinicians in four academic hospitals located in Denmark, Israel, the UK and the USA.

Results: We collected 1004 questionnaires (79.

Integrating incident data from five reporting systems to assess patient safety: making sense of the elephant.

Background: A study was conducted to examine and compare information gleaned from five different reporting systems within one institution: incident reporting, patient complaints, risk management, medical malpractice claims, and executive walk rounds. These data sources vary in the timing of the reporting (retrospective or prospective), severity of the events, and profession of the reporters.

Methods: A common methodology was developed for classifying incidents.

Effect of bar-code technology on the safety of medication administration.

Background: Serious medication errors are common in hospitals and often occur during order transcription or administration of medication. To help prevent such errors, technology has been developed to verify medications by incorporating bar-code verification technology within an electronic medication-administration system (bar-code eMAR).

Methods: We conducted a before-and-after, quasi-experimental study in an academic medical center that was implementing the bar-code eMAR.

Evaluation of the contributions of an electronic web-based reporting system: enabling action.

Background: Incident reporting represents a key tool in safety improvement. Electronic voluntary reporting systems have been perceived as advantageous compared to paper approaches and are increasingly being implemented.

Objectives: To evaluate the rate, content, ease of use, reporters' profile, and the follow-up and actions resulting from reports submitted to a Web-based electronic reporting system.

Improving patient flow in the cath lab.

Key steps that led to Kennestone Hospital's success in improving patient flow in the cath lab included: Developing an urgency classification system for patients. Creating a more accurate scheduling system to increase throughput and efficiency. Establishing a project team.

[The British Star rating system--review and its implication for the Israeli health system].

The British NHS system is undergoing a process of reform and renewal. In addition to allocating resources, the NHS developed the star rating system, a system developed to evaluate and increase performances of the medical institutes. The rating of zero to three stars of the general hospitals (acute trusts) is based on the level of achievements of the 9 key targets and 36 indicators composing 3 focus areas: clinical, patient and logistic aspects.

Neonatal genital herpes simplex virus type 1 infection after Jewish ritual circumcision: modern medicine and religious tradition.

Objective: Genital neonatal herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection was observed in a series of neonates after traditional Jewish ritual circumcision. The objective of this study was to describe neonate genital HSV-1 infection after ritual circumcision and investigate the association between genital HSV-1 after circumcision and the practice of the traditional circumcision.

Methods: Eight neonates with genital HSV-1 infection after ritual circumcision were identified.