Israeli Healthcare Salaries Show Wide Gaps, Periphery Pays More

A new report from Israel's Ministry of Finance reveals significant salary disparities within the public healthcare system, which employs approximately 134,000 people. The average monthly salary for a full-time position in hospitals is NIS 22,560, with a median of NIS 18,804. In community healthcare, the average is NIS 23,326, and the median is NIS 16,971. Around 71% of hospital workers and 62% of community healthcare workers earn over NIS 15,000 monthly.

Salaries for long-term hospital employees have increased by an average of 42% over the past decade, with some ranks seeing nearly 60% cumulative growth. Entry-level nurses earn about NIS 19,700. However, the most striking differences are among physicians. The top 10% of doctors in hospitals earn an average of NIS 104,700 monthly, while the bottom 10% earn approximately NIS 17,300, a six-fold difference attributed to specialization, seniority, and location.

Specialization also plays a major role, with gynecologists earning an average of NIS 78,603 compared to psychiatrists at NIS 42,663. While a recent agreement is expected to boost psychiatrist salaries in the coming years, mental health professionals in psychiatric hospitals still earn about 5% less than their counterparts in general hospitals, and about 7% less than those in geriatric facilities.

Doctors working in the periphery earn about 33% more than those in central Israel, partly due to higher on-call duties. The report also highlights an aging medical workforce, with 24% of specialist physicians nearing retirement age, reaching 36% in pediatric surgery. The Ministry of Finance suggests a national strategy for specialization planning, increased training, and targeted incentives for underserved areas and fields.

Furthermore, women constitute 65% of hospital employees but earn 19% less on average than men. In community healthcare, where women are 76% of the workforce, the gap widens to 40%. The finance ministry attributes most of this difference to the volume of additional work and partly to differences in professions and roles.

Efi Malkin, the head of the Salary and Agreements Department, stated that while significant investments have been made in healthcare salaries, the report underscores the need for precise salary policies and resource allocation to areas like mental health, the periphery, and fields with shortages. He also emphasized the importance of reducing workload and burnout through better staffing and professional mix, including roles like pharmacy technicians and physician assistants, to improve efficiency and service availability.