Dramatic survey reveals: what are patients in Israel really afraid of?

The fear of hospitalization is still significant among the public in Israel, according to a new survey conducted by the Assuta Institute for Health Policy and Services Research. According to the data, 88% of respondents fear contracting infections during a hospital stay, while 86% fear overcrowding and congestion. About 80% expressed concern about poor hospitalization conditions, including impaired sleep quality, noise, and low-quality food. In addition, about 78% of respondents indicated that they fear medical errors.

Against the backdrop of these concerns, it seems that home medicine is taking on a more significant place in the eyes of the public. About 83% of respondents believe that medical treatment at home can help reduce the burden on hospitals, and 82% believe that it allows the patient to maintain their independence and daily routine to a greater extent. About 80% believe that treatment at home is more comfortable, and more than two-thirds of respondents estimate that home hospitalization is equally safe as treatment in a hospital.

The preference for home treatment is also reflected in the personal question. 60% of respondents said that in a case where it is possible, they would prefer to undergo hospitalization at home rather than in a hospital. In areas such as rehabilitation, pre-planned medical conditions, and geriatrics, the preference rate for home hospitalization is particularly high.

The trend is not limited to the patients themselves. More than half of the respondents said that even in the event that their children would need hospitalization, they would prefer in suitable cases to receive the treatment at home. Among the main reasons for this, one can find the desire to reduce exposure to infections and the possibility of reducing the level of anxiety of children in the home environment.

Alongside the growing preference, the survey also points to a major fear regarding the transition from the hospital setting to the home. About 57% of respondents said they fear the lack of a rapid medical response in an emergency. This fear may constitute one of the main barriers to expanding the use of home hospitalization.

The survey was conducted among a representative sample of about 512 respondents. Gidi Leshetz, CEO of Assuta Medical Centers, stated:

"The home is the natural place to recover in."

He added that at Assuta they seek to continue to lead the field of home treatment and hospitalization as a professional and safe alternative for patients suitable for it and their families.

Dr. Roi Barnea, the lead researcher at the Assuta Institute, noted that the public does not see home hospitalization as a complete substitute for the hospital, but as a legitimate medical option in suitable cases. According to him, the public distinguishes between planned or rehabilitative conditions, in which there is a clear preference for treatment at home, and emergency situations in which the hospital is still perceived as the safer framework.

According to him, the expansion of home hospitalization depends not only on increasing the supply of services, but also on creating trust among patients and ensuring a medical safety net that will give them a sense of security even when the treatment is carried out at home.