Israeli Health Ministry Formalizes Emergency Medical Cooperation Between Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah

The Israeli Ministry of Health has issued a new directive to regulate and enhance cooperation between Magen David Adom (MDA) and United Hatzalah, aiming to resolve longstanding disputes and operational overlaps in emergency medical response. This directive replaces guidelines from 2017 and mandates that emergency medical responders be dispatched based solely on professional criteria such as proximity, response time, and qualifications, regardless of their organizational affiliation. The ministry will take a central role in overseeing the implementation of this arrangement.

The move follows criticism from the State Comptroller, Matanyahu Englman, who highlighted deficiencies in coordination between MDA and United Hatzalah during emergencies, including the October 7 events. The directive emphasizes that the primary goal is saving lives, especially in critical cases like cardiac arrest and severe trauma, by increasing the availability of responders nationwide and integrating all forces into a unified system.

A key change is the integration of United Hatzalah responders into MDA’s national dispatch center. United Hatzalah will provide MDA with an updated list of certified responders who meet the Ministry of Health’s training and equipment standards. These responders will be connected to MDA’s operational system and dispatched via a dedicated app. United Hatzalah will no longer operate its own emergency call center; all emergency calls will be routed through MDA’s national center to avoid duplication and improve efficiency.

The directive assigns MDA responsibility for developing the shared operational platform, enabling real-time tracking of responders by both organizations. It also prohibits sharing case details outside the official communication channels. While cooperation expands, MDA will retain command of the emergency scene, with United Hatzalah responsible for training and supervising its volunteers.

Monthly reporting on responder activity will be submitted to the Ministry of Health, which will appoint a dedicated supervisor to monitor compliance, conduct inspections, and address complaints. The directive will take effect approximately two months after the shared app’s development and implementation, expected within six months, following a nationwide pilot to test safety, response speed, and cooperation effectiveness.