Number of Health Professionals Declines in Israel
Figures have confirmed that the number of Israeli health professionals continues to decline in relation to the population in 2010.
The number of nurses, physicians, dental technicians, dental assistants, dentists and pharmacists dropped in comparison to population figures, meaning that the ratio of health professionals to patients has increased. Despite the decline in the number of health professionals, the numbers are still comparatively high in relation to other OECD countries.
One reason for the decrease in doctors is the low number of medical school graduates, with figures showing a rate of just 4 per 100,000, which is much lower than the OECD average of 9.9 per 100,000. A large number of physicians are also due to retire in the near future, which will decrease numbers further.
The number of Israeli students studying medicine abroad has increased from 269 to 350 in the last year, with most choosing to pursue courses in Hungary and Italy.
There has also been a decrease in the number of dentists and there are currently only 1.07 dentists per 1,000 people compared to 1.12 in 2000, which represents a 5% decrease.
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