Doctors’ Day: When Medical Responsibility Meets the Human Side of Care
“Medicine is not the profession of one person, but of an entire system working together.” Dr. Arik Seiton / Arkadi Raskin
In Israel, tens of thousands of doctors and physicians are registered, working in every field of medicine and in every region of the country. It is a system built on a broad workforce that carries a heavy burden and constant pressure. Doctors’ Day is an opportunity to pause for a moment and recognize this work.
“Doctors’ Day is, for me, much more than a symbolic date. It is a chance to pause and honor people who chose a demanding, sometimes exhausting profession, but one that touches the core of humanity,” says Dr. Arik Seiton, the medical director of Herzliya Medical Center. “What sets the medical team at Herzliya Medical Center apart is a deep sense of mission, the understanding that every patient who comes to us entrusts us not only with their body, but also with their trust.”
Even before management and the systemic perspective, his choice of medicine was born in the field. “My path to medicine began early. As a medic in the Paratroopers, and later as a military doctor in Unit 669, the rescue and evacuation unit, I understood that medicine for me is not just a profession, but a way of life. There were moments when it was clear to me that I was ready to do anything, fly by helicopter, rappel, enter dangerous operational activity if, at the end of it, there was an injured person or patient in need of help.”
According to him, “Those moments sharpened for me what medical mission means, to be there when you are needed, without conditions, without unnecessary questions. That same approach accompanies me today in managing a civilian hospital. The responsibility may look different, but the essence is the same, to care for the patient in every situation, under every condition.”
Medicine is teamwork, not the work of one person
The public usually encounters one doctor or physician, but in practice modern medicine rests on an entire system of professions. At Herzliya Medical Center, that means different teams working in parallel and in coordination, surgeons, anesthesiologists, hospital doctors, radiologists, alongside nursing, clinical pharmacy, imaging, technicians, and operations and administration staff.
“One of the things I am especially proud of is our understanding that medicine is not the profession of one person, but of an entire system working together. At Herzliya Medical Center, everyone in the circle of care, doctors from all disciplines, nursing teams, clinical pharmacy, technicians, imaging teams, pathology, and also administration and operations staff, are all full partners in responsibility for the patient.”
He describes a model based on constant dialogue. “This synergy is not a slogan. It is expressed in joint discussions, multidisciplinary decision-making, mutual listening, and professional respect. A surgeon does not work alone, an anesthesiologist is not just ‘support,’ and nursing is not just executing, each brings a critical perspective, and sometimes it is דווקא the small remark or the question asked at the right moment that changes the course of treatment. This is a tremendous advantage of our work model, which creates more precise, safer, and more humane medicine.”
Alongside teamwork, Dr. Seiton emphasizes a value that guides decision-making. “The central value that leads us is responsibility through humility. Humility in the deepest sense of the word, knowing that not all knowledge is in our hands, that medicine is advancing all the time, and that we must continue to learn, listen, consult, and examine ourselves anew. This is true with patients, with colleagues, and with the system as a whole. This responsibility obligates us to strive for excellence, but also to know how to ask questions, to doubt, and to act always in the patient’s best interest.”
Academia, innovation and training the next generation
Dr. Seiton also speaks about long-term responsibility, training the next generation of doctors in Israel through the affiliation with Ariel University.
“The connection to Ariel University is an expression of our view that quality medicine does not end with treatment itself, but also includes education, training and the transfer of knowledge. Students who come to us are exposed to advanced clinical medicine, but no less important, to a professional culture.”
“I believe the meeting point between academia and the field is critical. Young doctors need to learn not only literature and research, but also decision-making in real time, teamwork, responsibility, and professional humility. We see this as a mission, to raise a generation of excellent, curious, principled doctors who understand that medicine is a profession of continuous learning.”
And even when the conversation turns to the technological future, Dr. Seiton brings the discussion back to the person. “There is no doubt that medicine is undergoing a revolution. Advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and decision-support tools are changing the way we diagnose and treat. But in my view, the role of the doctor is דווקא becoming sharper, to be the one who connects the data, the technology and the algorithms with the person in front of you.”
He adds, “At Herzliya Medical Center, we invest in innovation, advanced technologies and smart systems, but always from a clear understanding, technology is a tool, not a substitute. The doctor is required to have judgment, experience, and the ability to see the whole picture. This is where humility comes in again, the understanding that even in an era of vast information, the final responsibility remains human.”
“Students who come to us are exposed to advanced clinical medicine, but no less important, to a professional culture.” Ariel University / Courtesy
People before medicine
Dr. Seiton wants to put the spotlight on those doing the work every day. “I am very proud of our doctors at Herzliya Medical Center, both the young and the veteran ones. We have young doctors in the inpatient departments and operating rooms who accompany patients with extraordinary dedication, alongside heart surgeons, intensive care doctors, anesthesiologists, internists, radiologists, pathologists and senior physicians with extensive experience.”
Alongside professional skill, he also emphasizes the human fabric. “Human diversity is part of our strength, doctors from all sectors, all backgrounds, all genders, working together toward a common goal. In my view, this is Israeli medicine at its best, professional, humane, diverse and, above all, committed to the person.”
