The Emergency Medicine Medics Project
The program is highly effective and significantly cuts down waiting time in the ER. Today, the program has expanded greatly, currently providing aid to eleven hospitals throughout Israel, and we are in the process of bringing the program to another four.
About
United Hatzalah’s Hospital Emergency Room (ER) Project was launched in 2011 in response to the increasingly challenging situation in Israel’s overburdened and understaffed emergency rooms, where long delays negatively impact patient treatment and outcomes. To address this, the project provides qualified volunteer medics to support ER medical teams, relieving pressure and improving patient care. Through this project, our volunteers take on various tasks, including monitoring vital signs and electronic devices, taking blood samples, and setting up intravenous infusions. As part of the Hospital ER Project, a cohort of volunteers receives specialized phlebotomy training in blood withdrawal, enhancing their skills and effectiveness in EMS care. This Ministry of Health recognized course expands their capabilities, making them more proficient in emergency room settings.
The Hospital ER project fosters a mutually beneficial relationship between hospitals, volunteers, and emergency room patients. Volunteers gain valuable employment skills and clinical experience, enabling them to develop extensive hands-on experience that enriches their lifesaving skills, deepens their knowledge of emergency medical best practices, and strengthens their understanding of ER procedures. The enhanced medical training experience enables them to respond more effectively to emergency calls in their community. Hospital ER staff benefit from a reduced workload and more time to focus on critically ill patients. Lastly, ER patients benefit from our volunteer medics’ rapid assessment skills and hands-on emergency care expertise, ensuring quicker interventions and enhanced patient support during critical moments.
Today, United Hatzalah volunteer medics are active in 25 hospitals across Israel, supported by 507 volunteers. In 2024 alone, our volunteers completed over 11,111 shifts and contributed a total of 49,589 volunteer hours, significantly improving patient care. Thanks to the United Hatzalah Hospital ER Project, hospital emergency rooms across Israel are providing more prompt and complete medical attention while easing the burden on medical staff, enhancing care and support across Israel.
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