[Family health centers in Israel: to change or not to be]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Medicine
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• Family Health Centers (FHC) in Israel are not consistently adhering to Ministry of Health guidelines for essential infant care.
• Key deficiencies include incomplete hemoglobin testing, inadequate iron supplementation for at least 31% of infants, and suboptimal hearing loss screening protocols.
• Furthermore, developmental dysplasia screening is inconsistently performed, and prenatal care utilization by Jewish women in larger townships is low (20%).

Discussion:

• The findings indicate a significant gap between recommended pediatric care standards and current practices within Israel's FHC system.
• These shortcomings impact infant health outcomes and necessitate urgent policy interventions.
• The low uptake of prenatal services highlights broader issues with FHC accessibility and public perception.

Key Insights:

• Critical infant health screenings and interventions, such as hemoglobin checks and iron supplementation, are not universally administered.
• Current hearing loss screening methods and developmental dysplasia assessments fall short of recommended pediatric professional organization guidelines.
• Low utilization of FHCs for prenatal care suggests a need for improved public engagement and service delivery models.

Outlook:

• Government policymakers face critical decisions regarding the future of FHC services, with options including transfer to health maintenance organizations or significant internal reform.
• Reforming FHCs requires updating health management guidelines, enhancing compliance, and improving public outreach and service acceptance.
• Addressing these systemic issues is crucial for ensuring equitable and effective pediatric healthcare in Israel.