When I first made aliyah, ‘back when dinosaurs roamed the earth’, as my kids would say, Bituach Leumi was considered an opaque box of unpleasantness that was out to hide the money you had coming to you. Okay, slight hyperbole, but you get the picture. It was not a well-liked institution. In 2012, the government …
Dear Aviva, I’m allergic to mold and pollen and dogs. I get asthma and sometimes it’s hard to breathe so my allergist back in the U.S. just prescribed me an inhaler. But when I went to the allergist here, she told me I needed to go to a “rofe rayot”. What’s that and why do …
Ask Aviva #23: Why is the allergist referring me to a pulmonologist? Read More »
Apparently, doctoring octogenarians is pretty unpopular in the medical community. That means that there are very few medical experts in the field who specialize in the unique healthcare of those over 70. How do I know this? In addition to spending my free time reading medical literature, I happen to be coordinating a study for …
Navigating Mental Health in the Elderly [Mental Health Awareness Series #3] Read More »
One of the interesting phenomena of being a healthcare advocate is the unique position of being yelled at, a lot, by many types of people. The other day was no different. The director of a bituach leumi branch, in response to my persistence in trying to help a client who had been rejected by bituach …
Why the Concept of “Returning Israeli Citizens” isn’t Sexy Read More »
The other day I reached the front of the line of my kupah’s pharmacy and met with a huge shock. Apparently, my new, digitally signed, prescriptions had been automatically forwarded to the pharmacy computer and I could pick up the next two months’ worth of my medication, without even bringing in the prescription! (The little …
The Jello-Like Nature of Healthcare Navigation in Israel Read More »
Thanks to Sharon Beth-Halachmy of B’lev Shalem, for this week’s important blog post for all those who’ve brought or are thinking of bringing their parents over to live in Israel. Remember the first months of your Aliyah? The culture shock as you navigated everything from the grocery store to Kupat Holim, from surviving on the …
Several weeks ago, I wrote a post about what to do when the doctor yells at you. I got a few comments. Then I forwarded a post about rude parents in the hospital; I received many more posts, specifically noting the miserable treatment those people had received at the hands of rude, sometimes, mean, doctors. …
In the past few months, I’ve been the speaker on the road for the Shira Pransky Project Health Navigation Lecture series around the country. Many people have been asking me questions that echo the types of questions that I have received over the years. 1. How do I choose a family doctor? It’s true that …
The 5 Most Frequently Asked Questions People ask Me about Healthcare Insurance in Israel Read More »
1. Everyone needs a support system. If you have young children, make sure that you have one family member at least, a sibling, parent, parent in-law who you trust, who knows your wishes (and where all your important papers are). If you have adult children, choose one of them to be in charge if there were …
Five things I have Learned From Being a Health Advocate Read More »
Twenty five years ago, Sarah and David* received a phone call in the early morning hours. “Can you come to the hospital? Now?! “ The social worker sounded insistent, and Sarah and David, sleepy and confused, arrived at the hospital to find a tiny, squalling, day old, obviously sickly, infant, in the hands of the …
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