Investigation Reveals Cardiologist Trainees Skipped Essential Internal Medicine Training at Kaplan Medical Center

A special investigative committee from the Scientific Council of the Israeli Medical Association uncovered a serious malpractice at Kaplan Medical Center, where cardiology trainees bypassed the mandatory internal medicine training phase required for certification. This practice, ongoing for years, was revealed following a complaint by a resident doctor. The investigation found that training records were falsified to indicate completion of internal medicine training, which in reality did not occur.

The malpractice was reportedly directed and supervised by Professor Kobi George, head of the cardiology department, allegedly to address staffing shortages by submitting false reports. As a result, many doctors received cardiology specialist certificates without completing the full required training, raising significant concerns about patient safety and quality of care.

In response to these findings, the Scientific Council recommended severe measures including revoking the cardiology department’s accreditation for training as long as Professor George remains part of the team, and barring him from managing any accredited department in the future. The internal medicine department will receive conditional accreditation for six months, and its head, Dr. Hafziba Green, will require co-signature from the hospital deputy director on all training documents for the next three years. Additionally, all doctors trained at Kaplan will undergo individual assessments to identify training gaps.

Professor George denied all allegations, asserting that all trainees completed the necessary clinical, theoretical, and research training and that many passed certification exams successfully. He criticized the council’s recommendations as fundamentally flawed and procedurally improper, noting that the Ministry of Health has not issued any binding decisions.

Clalit Health Services stated that its CEO has established a committee to address the findings and recommendations, and that the Ministry of Health has been informed of the actions taken. Kaplan Medical Center has not yet responded to the report.