Kaplan Hospital Cardiologists Accused of Falsifying Training Records, Prompting Medical Council Sanctions

A scandal has emerged at Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot, part of the Clalit Health Services network, involving cardiology residents allegedly receiving certification without proper training due to falsified registration records. The issue was first exposed by a cardiology resident and reported by Channel 13 news. Following an investigation by the Israeli Medical Association's Scientific Council, an unusual recommendation was made to revoke recognition of Kaplan's cardiology department as long as its head, Professor Kobi Georg, remains in charge.

The Scientific Council's inquiry, led by Professor Eric Shinwell and including Professor Shmuel Banai, found a systemic practice of false entries in residency logs within the cardiology department. This misconduct resulted in residents on the combined training track not receiving adequate instruction. The council's leadership harshly criticized Professor Georg for ongoing falsification, lack of educational support, authoritarian behavior, and unreliability.

The investigation involved interviews with various hospital staff, including the head of Internal Medicine A, the cardiology department head, the hospital director and his deputies, as well as residents and specialists on the combined track, all of whom confirmed the allegations. Professor Georg responded by calling the council's recommendations "procedurally flawed." Clalit stated that the Ministry of Health has been informed and that it regrets the incident, emphasizing its commitment to correcting the identified deficiencies through disciplinary measures.

This case highlights serious concerns about medical training standards and oversight at Kaplan Hospital, with ongoing efforts to address the issues raised by the Scientific Council's report.