Israel Faces Severe Doctor Shortage as Many Near Retirement Age

A report by Israel's Ministry of Finance warns of a significant impending shortage of qualified doctors in the country's public hospitals. The report, which analyzes labor costs in the public healthcare system for 2023-2024, indicates that approximately 24% of specialist doctors in public hospitals are nearing retirement age. This demographic trend poses a substantial risk to the system's future staffing levels.

The situation is particularly acute in certain specialized fields. The report highlights that nearly half of specialists in palliative care (48%) and clinical pharmacology (47%) are approaching retirement. Other specialties facing similar challenges include pediatric surgery (36%), geriatrics and pain management (34%), and oncology (28%).

The Ministry of Finance authors describe the looming deficit as a systemic problem that cannot be quickly resolved. They attribute the potential worsening of the shortage to a lack of a comprehensive plan for training a new generation of specialists. The report also examines salary disparities, noting that the average gross salary for hospital doctors is 22,560 shekels, while in outpatient clinics it is 23,326 shekels. Higher incomes for specialists in peripheral areas, such as the 33% difference between central Israel and hospitals in Safed and Tiberias, are linked to staff shortages and heavy workloads, with doctors there often working more than nine shifts per month.

Furthermore, the report identifies a gender pay gap of 19% in hospitals and up to 40% in outpatient settings, partly due to differences in additional workload and evening shifts. The release of this report coincides with the commencement of negotiations for a new collective labor agreement for Israeli doctors. The analysis is based on data from over 120,000 healthcare workers out of approximately 134,000 doctors.