Sheba Director to Serve as Acting Health Ministry Director
תומצת מתוך Calcalist על ידי baba
Kreiss stated he remains fully committed to leading Sheba while taking on the temporary ministry role at the Health Minister's request. The dual position raises concerns about oversight and systemic decision-making, with a conflict of interest arrangement to be implemented. Details on day-to-day management and the appointment's duration are still pending.
הידיעה ב-4 שורות · תקציר של baba
- Kreiss stated he is fully committed to leading Sheba while taking on the temporary ministry role.
- The dual role creates a significant conflict of interest between hospital management and ministry oversight.
- A conflict of interest arrangement will be implemented to address the situation.
- Questions remain about day-to-day management and the duration of the appointment.
Kreiss stated in a letter to Sheba staff that he has no intention of relinquishing his leadership of the hospital, emphasizing his commitment to its future, including its work on artificial intelligence and its standing in global medicine. He explained that Health Minister Chaim Katz asked him to temporarily take on the ministry's leadership following the expected departure of Moshe Bar Siman Tov at the end of the month, citing the need for functional continuity and managerial stability.
Kreiss views the additional role as a continuation of his mission, asserting that public health responsibility extends beyond a single institution. However, this dual role raises questions about how one person can simultaneously head a major government hospital and the ministry responsible for overseeing it. The Ministry of Health sets policy, regulates hospitals, allocates resources, and supervises the healthcare system, while Sheba is a primary recipient of that policy and competes with other hospitals for resources.
The Health Minister will implement a conflict of interest arrangement for Kreiss, as legally required. Such an arrangement might prevent Kreiss from directly handling matters concerning Sheba, but it does not resolve the institutional difficulty of his dual responsibilities. Systemic decisions on government hospital budgeting, expansion of inpatient services, medical equipment allocation, or staffing could impact Sheba, even if not exclusively focused on it. If the conflict of interest agreement limits Kreiss's participation in such decisions, his ability to fully perform his duties as Director General of the Ministry of Health could be compromised. Conversely, an overly restrictive agreement might leave the institutional conflict of interest concerns unaddressed.
Furthermore, the practical management of both massive organizations, each requiring full-time attention, remains unclear. It has not been clarified who will manage Sheba's day-to-day operations when Kreiss is engaged with the Ministry of Health, how his authorities will be divided, or the duration of this temporary appointment.
