In an era where Israel is awakening to the harsh reality of a sharp rise in mental health casualties among soldiers and fighters, the Defense Ministry and the IDF announced a rapid treatment service with an online psychiatrist, available at the push of a button.
The critical service is operated by the Y.S. Community Health and Medical Services brand, part of the "Yossi Ambulance" group, one of the winners of the Defense Ministry’s telemedicine tender. This service provides real, fast, and accessible medical care to soldiers, post-trauma casualties, and Rehabilitation Division patients. All this without waiting weeks — but within just a few days or even hours.
Here’s how it actually works: The patient registers for the service easily — either through an online form or via a phone call. After registration, a company representative contacts the patient to schedule the appointment, a notification is sent directly to their mobile phone, and reminders are sent, including an additional reminder 30 minutes before the scheduled time.
At the start of the appointment, with a simple click on a dedicated link — via laptop, tablet, or smartphone — a virtual lobby opens in the browser, and without needing to download any apps or third-party software, the patient is transferred to a meeting with a specialist doctor. At the end of the appointment, a detailed and complete medical summary is provided, including professional instructions for further care.
Eilon Shafran, Co-CEO of the Yossi Ambulance Group: "Hundreds of inquiries have already been handled within the framework of the new service, and we receive moving and powerful feedback. The platform we adapted, alongside the infrastructure and doctors, allows scheduling an appointment with a specialist doctor, especially a psychiatrist, from one day to the next — online, at the push of a button, and without the need for installations or third-party software. This service manages to touch the hearts of patients — and sometimes even saves lives. The direct connection we maintain with the Rehabilitation Division enables holistic, sensitive, precise, and real-time treatment."