The Health Ministry will begin a comprehensive process to integrate mental health hospitals with general hospitals across the country.
The decision was made after the Director General of the Health Ministry, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, accepted the recommendations of the Yarkoni Committee, which was specifically established for this issue.
The initiative aims to enhance the hospitalization experience for patients, whether they require mental health care or general medical treatment, and to establish a more unified and advanced continuum of care.
Currently, 86% of mental health patients in Israel are hospitalized in specialized psychiatric hospitals, compared to an average of only 64% in OECD countries.
In many countries around the world, there is significant integration of mental health departments within general hospitals based on the understanding that mental health is an inseparable part of overall healthcare.
The move is also driven by a sharp increase in mental health needs following Hamas's attack on October 7 and the Israel-Hamas war, alongside the challenges of the period, which require investment in research, new technologies, and reducing the stigma surrounding the field. The Yarkoni Committee, led by Inbal Yarkoni, Director of the Nurses Division and Mental Health Sector at the Health Ministry, thoroughly examined the issue over several months.
Many aspects of integration were considered
The committee looked into the medical, economic, logistical, and human aspects of the integration. Its conclusion was clear: The process should be carried out gradually, with dedicated integration teams to ensure the maintenance of care quality.
The Health Ministry estimates that this is a groundbreaking step even on a global scale, as there is currently no model of such extensive and unified integration, both operationally and geographically. The Ministry emphasized that competition will be maintained between the hospitals to ensure better service for all patients.
According to Siman Tov, this is a significant step in advancing the mental health reform: “Quality healthcare must look at all of the patient’s needs, both physical and mental. The integration of general medicine with psychiatric expertise will create a better and more advanced framework.”
Dr. Gilad Bodneheimer, Director of the Mental Health Division, added: “This integration is part of an overall policy to reduce stigma, improve service accessibility, and enhance the quality of hospitalization for families as well.”
Committee Chair Inbal Yarkoni concluded: "When the process is completed, psychiatric hospitalization in Israel will be among the most advanced and innovative in the world and will serve as a model for learning in other countries."