Quarter of Israeli Specialist Doctors Nearing Retirement Age

A significant portion of Israel's public hospital specialist doctors, totaling 24%, are approaching retirement age, according to a new report on salary expenses in the public health system for 2023-2024. The report, released by the Director of Wages in the Ministry of Finance, Efi Malkin, highlights particular concern in specialized fields, with nearly half of palliative care specialists and clinical pharmacologists, and over a third of pediatric surgeons and geriatricians, expected to retire soon. These smaller specialties are especially vulnerable to the impact of retirements.

The report, published as new salary negotiations for doctors commence, also addresses salary levels. The average gross monthly salary for a full-time position in hospitals stands at NIS 22,560, and NIS 23,326 in community healthcare. Over a quarter of healthcare workers in both sectors earn more than NIS 25,000 monthly. Significant pay disparities exist within professions, with the top 10% of specialists earning six times more than the bottom 10% (NIS 104,650 versus NIS 17,323).

Geographical pay gaps are also evident, with senior specialists in northern cities like Safed and Tiberias earning 33% more than their counterparts in central Israel. This higher pay in the periphery is attributed to staff shortages necessitating more on-call shifts for fewer doctors, rather than direct government incentives. Gender pay disparities persist, with women, who form the majority of healthcare workers, earning 19% less in hospitals and 40% less in community settings per position. This is partly due to men receiving higher compensation for additional work and holding more management positions with greater on-call requirements.

The report also criticizes health corporations that operate outside regular hospital hours, noting that about 31% of a specialist's total salary can come from these corporations, sometimes without adequate oversight or standardized compensation criteria. Furthermore, specialist doctors are increasingly drawn to health maintenance organizations (HMOs), where average salaries reach NIS 56,075 per position, a 24% increase compared to hospitals. In gynecology, the gap is even wider, with community positions paying NIS 78,603 compared to NIS 43,183 in hospitals.

Despite the growing workforce challenges, the report states that the state is not systematically guiding specialization pathways according to the system's needs. The current approach of covering shortages through overtime pay may prove insufficient as more specialists retire.