Home Hospitalizations Surge in Israel, Treating Thousands at Home

A new Ministry of Health report reveals a dramatic increase in home hospitalization services in Israel, with approximately 38,000 such cases recorded in 2024. This represents a significant shift from just 136 home hospitalizations in 2018, with a total of around 115,000 performed between 2018 and 2024. In 2024, home hospitalizations constituted about 12% of all internal medicine admissions examined in the report. At its peak in 2024, the home hospitalization system was simultaneously caring for about 600 patients, a capacity equivalent to roughly 17 hospital wards.

The majority of patients receiving home hospitalization are elderly, with 73% aged 65 and over, and 56% aged 75 and over, between 2021 and 2024. Common diagnoses include pneumonia, urinary tract infections, cellulitis, dehydration, and heart failure. Home hospitalization is designed for patients with acute illnesses or exacerbations of chronic conditions who would otherwise require inpatient care but can be safely treated at home with the patient's consent and medical suitability.

This service allows patients to remain in their familiar environment, close to family, while receiving necessary medical attention. The home care package includes a medical team of doctors and nurses, weekend and holiday visits, on-call medical and nursing support, and a 24-hour medical hotline. Laboratory tests and treatments can be administered at home, with external facilities used for tests not performable on-site.

"The numbers presented by the Ministry of Health tell a much larger story than the growth of home hospitalization," said Chai Cohen, CEO of Tzabar Medicine, a provider of these services. "They show that we can add thousands of hospitalization days to Israel's healthcare system without adding a single bed to a hospital. The patient's home becomes, when their condition allows, part of Israel's hospitalization system. But the real change is not just in where the treatment is given, but in how we think about hospitalization." Cohen emphasized that current medical and technological capabilities allow for bringing care to the patient, rather than the patient to the care, in suitable cases.

The report indicates that most home hospitalization activities in Israel are carried out by external suppliers operating on behalf of health funds, with Tzabar Medicine being one such provider. This model transforms the patient's home into an extension of the hospital system, offering a vital alternative for significant medical treatment without requiring a hospital bed.