Treatment in Israel – the choice of patients from all over the world. The possibilities of new generation medicine

According to the World Health Organization, Israel ranks second in the world (behind Switzerland) in terms of the effectiveness of treatment. In 2023, the Bloomberg Agency published a rating in which Israel surpassed all developed countries in such areas of medicine as oncology, oncohematology, neurosurgery, and is in first place in terms of the survival rate of patients with cancer.

Israel’s health care system is equally attuned to both locals and patients coming from other countries.

Why is treatment in Israel in demand?

Every year, Israel receives more than 60,000 foreign patients for treatment. Such popularity is easy to explain: modern clinics equipped with high-tech equipment and doctors of the highest qualification, treating even complex pathologies, inspire confidence and inspire confidence in a favorable outcome.

Additional factors influencing the choice of treatment location in favor of Israel are the implemented innovations in diagnosis and treatment, as well as the use of artificial intelligence.

Innovations in diagnostics

According to statistics provided by Bloomberg, a quarter of patients arrive at Israeli clinics initially misdiagnosed. After diagnosis at leading clinics, the percentage of correct diagnoses increases to 91.

Medical centers in Israel regularly improve diagnostic methods and select the optimal set of examinations for each individual patient.

Top clinics in Israel are actively using the following developments:

• Check-up in 3 hours: Diagnostics performed in clinics in Israel, allows you to assess the condition of the body in just 3 hours. This express option is suitable for patients who do not have free time, or those who need to get the results as quickly as possible to clarify the diagnosis. The accuracy of a three-hour check-up is not lower than that of a two-day diagnosis. Leading specialists of the centers in conjunction with high-tech equipment guarantee a hundred percent reliable result
• Pillcam capsule endoscopy: For examination of the small intestine, which is not accessible by classical endoscopic methods
• Fibro-Acti-test and Fibro-Max-test: To detect liver cirrhosis and hepatitis using six laboratory tests. The tests do not involve taking a piece of liver, thus the method is gentle and without complications. The algorithm was developed in France and validated in more than 40 independent international studies
• Stereotactic biopsy: The taking of liver tissue for examination in which the accuracy of hitting the affected areas is extremely high. The method helps to solve two problems: to avoid false results and to minimize the impact on healthy tissues

Innovations in treatment

Universities in Israel conduct research and develop the latest drugs for treatment on the basis of clinics, which are then tested and enter the world pharmaceutical market. Patients in Israeli clinics have an advantage: they are the first to receive drug therapies developed at university hospitals.

Oncology and oncohematology are among the leading areas of foreign treatment. WHO statistics of recent years show that the five-year survival rate of patients with cancerous tumors in Israel has reached 64%, and the success rate of treatment exceeds 80%. These indicators are among the highest in the world medical practice.

A special feature of some of Israel’s top clinics is the presence of reactors that produce radioactive isotopes for cancer treatment and diagnosis. The production of isotopes is a technically complex and expensive process, so only a few clinics can afford such a facility.

There are radioactive substances important for radiation therapy, such as Technetium-99m, which has a half-life of 6 hours. It is impossible to get the isotopes to the right place in a short time, so they are synthesized directly in clinics. Thanks to reactors, the efficiency of radiation therapy is increased several times and patient safety reaches 98%.

New drugs for the treatment of malignant tumors

Over the last couple of years, more than 50 new drugs have been developed for the targeted treatment of cancer. Development institutes in Israel have a strong financial and technological base to create indispensable drugs for cancer treatment.

As soon as a drug appears on the market, it is immediately included in the treatment protocols of leading medical centers. At the same time, counterfeiting of medicines in Israel is completely excluded, because the state controls the entire manufacturing and import process.

For the treatment of blood cancer, targeted gene therapy is used, directed not at a specific site, but against genes responsible for the progression of this type of oncology. For example, in chronic leukemia with BCRABL1 gene mutation, modern tyrosine kinase inhibitors are prescribed, with the therapeutic target (gene) determined in advance by laboratory analysis.

Other innovations in oncology:

• A nanotechnology-based study of a drug to fight pancreatic cancer has been completed. The results of the study have been published in Nature Communications
• Doctors introduce a revolutionary way to diagnose metastases CellSearch
• A new non-invasive test has been developed to detect prostate cancer: CellDetect technologywhich increased the sensitivity of the test to cancer cells up to 92%.
• The Ella Institute for Melanoma Research in Israel has a unique therapeutic protocol for skin cancer, which allows to treat patients even with stage 4 tumor formation. The TIL protocol (tumor infiltrating lymphocytes) is an immune therapy in which there is a growth of own lymphocytes that affect tumor cells. According to the head of the Institute, Prof. Yakov Shechter, several hundred patients have already undergone the treatment. As a result, all of them have achieved a long-lasting remission.
• The new standard in surgery – hybrid multifunctional operating roomsequipped with visualization and navigation systems. In addition to the classic operating room equipment, it includes magnetic resonance and computed tomography machines, ultrasound systems, and C-arms. Several teams of doctors can work simultaneously in the hybrid operating room. The total capacity reaches 20 people. Multidisciplinary teams come to a joint decision in a matter of seconds in situations where it is difficult for a single doctor to adequately assess the situation.

Another leading field in Israeli clinics is neurosurgery. Specialists of the highest qualification cope with the most common and at the same time the most complex pathologies of the nervous system, including tumors of the brain and spinal cord. The medical centers have an exchange system in which the world’s best research institutes receive feedback from Israeli colleagues.

Modern developments in the field of neurosurgery put Israel at the forefront of innovation. Among the most unique inventions are:

• Pre-surgical mapping of the speech areas of the cerebral cortex using fMRI (brain mapping) aims to minimize damage during surgery in patients with tumors and epilepsy by localizing these speech centers
• Adaptive Hybrid Neurosurgery: A universal platform for intraoperative (during surgery) navigation that shapes treatment decisions for neuro-oncology patients has been established. In this way, physicians do not rely on intuition but on calculated risks when determining the scope of surgery
• Genomic testing is gaining in popularity genomic testinggenomic testing is gaining popularity, with neurosurgeons identifying genetic mutations that affect the development of neurological diseases. The unique genetic profiles created from the test data reveal the individual characteristics of the patient and allow for the creation of an accurate treatment plan
• Methodology virtual realityactively used in modern medicine, helps neurosurgeons practice procedures and interventions in a specially simulated environment. This reduces the risk of complications and improves surgical skills
• Nanotechnologyused in pharmacological therapies have revolutionized neurosurgery. Nanoparticle-separated drugs act directly on the brain, bypassing the blood-brain barrier and reducing the risk of side effects

Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI technologies are bursting into medicine and are becoming more and more in demand. They help to eliminate the human factor and speed up the course of many processes tenfold.

Innovative product affecting the healthcare industry – startup Medial EarlySign for evaluating blood test results. AI is able to detect pathologies even before symptoms appear.

Platform Zebra Medical Vision has become the right hand of doctors in Israel who analyze X-rays, CT and MRI scans. Artificial intelligence is able to recognize not only existing abnormalities, but also to assess the patient’s risk of disease.

Israeli company DreaMed has received FDA approval to use the Endo platform’s automated course to monitor sugar levels and administer insulin. The company is now leading the way in the use of artificial intelligence for the treatment of diabetes.

In addition, artificial intelligence is used in laser-assisted cataract surgeries, as well as in the diagnosis and selection of a lens.

The world’s best doctors see patients at clinics in Israel

For ten years in a row, Forbes magazine has published a ranking of the best doctors, looking at their competence and success in 150 specialties. More than 1,000 Israeli doctors made the list that year.

Israel is rightly considered one of the main destinations for medical tourism due to its highly qualified doctors. Specialists undergo training and internships in the best centers in America and Europe. With the help of telemedicine, doctors from other countries contact Israeli doctors for consultations or second opinions.

Hospitality Medservice is your reliable partner in finding the best clinic worldwide. Our website presents only reputable medical centers with high level of equipment and the latest treatment protocols. Assess the level of clinics, meet the doctors, compare the cost of treatment and ask us for help in organizing:

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