Diagnosis of serious illness is accompanied by a flood of complex medical information that includes medical concepts, including unfamiliar tests and drugs, as well as vague instructions regarding the continuation of treatment. And so, many patients, who have yet to fully comprehend the harsh news about their health situation, find themselves helpless and at a loss. We have decided to be there for them, clear the fog and direct them towards better medical care, with professional service free of charge and on a complete voluntary basis.
Why is medical counselling needed?
Patients and their families are forced to make countless consequential decisions, but contacting the wrong specialist, settling on only one opinion, wrong synchronization between the treating physicians in prescribing medication, or simply dealing with lacking information and reliance on unreliable sources, can not only lead to frustration but dramatically affect their medical condition.
These patients need a professional who can study their medical record, sit down with them patiently, explain what they need to do and the meaning of each treatment, result or required test; someone who can gather all medical data and refer them to the right specialist or second opinion, someone to take them hand in hand throughout their complicated journey.
The counselling array of Lema'anchem – Maflee La'asot
Lema'anchem – Maflee La'asot, headed by Yossi Erblich, has been established for this purpose, and provides medical counselling to patients and their families without any cost. In addition to medical counseling, in recent years Lema'anchem – Maflee La'asot have assembled a pool of counselors comprising of some of the most senior physicians in Israel who are deeply familiar with Israel's healthcare system. The purpose of the counselors is to assist patients contacting the organization and who are dealing with a variety of medical conditions, at all stages of the illness. The organization's counselors address patients who do not have the means for paid medical advice, patients from all ages and across the country, regardless of religion, race and gender, who seek assistance and encounter obstacle after obstacle. The counselors guide them and their family members through the methods of treatment, introduce them to the available and most innovative therapeutic approaches and refer them to the relevant specialists.
In the rapidly changing medical world, we at Lema'anchem – Maflee La'asot do as much as we can to stay 'on the alert'. We conduct regular tours of the leading hospitals in Israel and around the world and learn about the changes in the health system.
How does is the counselling done?
Anyone in need of medical counselling is welcome to contact us by phone number: * 6884 or from abroad at +9723-9799099, and receive a human response at any time of the day and night. You can also contact us by email: yr@Imc.org.il and via the referral form on the website.
Making the initial contact: From the moment you first contact us, we ask that you provide us with all relevant information about the medical condition, the size of the problem, and the urgency needed. In some cases, we can already refer you to the relevant parties in this conversation, and if necessary we will arrange a meeting with one of our counselors.
Meeting with a counselor: Before coming to a meeting you will be asked to send us all relevant information, including the full medical file and other related documents. From this moment forward, the counselor will in fact be handling your medical record. He will look at the existing information, gather the information from relevant physicians or institutes, if necessary, and recommend the necessary steps to the patient, all based on their personal knowledge and experience and the accumulated knowledge of Lema'anchem – Maflee La'asot. In very urgent cases, we will do everything in our power to help the patient receive medical response as soon as possible. It is important to emphasize that the entire contacting process is done while maintaining complete confidentiality, for the privacy of the patient and the patient's family.
'Reserve' physicians: In addition to our counselor team, in complex cases where opinion in a specific field is required, the organization has a 'reserve' physician team. About 70 world-renowned specialist physicians from all over the country and the world, who specialize in various fields and assist in the diagnosis and consultation of complex cases.
Full guidance, all the way through
More than anything, it is important for us to relieve the patient as much as possible of the burden he/she is carrying, and to give them a sense of security with the clear knowledge that we are here for them. Each of our counselors who receives a medical case is personally in charge of it and accompanies the patient throughout the entire process, from the moment they contact us. Our counselors listen to patients with great patience and sensitivity with genuine concern, and keep in touch with them after the consultation is completed to follow up on their well-being.
When we hear the patients' responses we understand that we have done something good for them. They share they feel that they were finally able to get the answers they were expecting, that the vague information soon became comprehensible and clear, and that a heavy emotional burden was lifted.
