Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, the current director of Sheba Medical Center, is set to temporarily take over as the director-general of the Health Ministry in December. This appointment comes at the direct request of Health Minister Haim Katz.
The decision follows the announcement that Moshe Bar Siman Tov, the incumbent director-general, will step down from his position. Bar Siman Tov has served in this capacity for approximately nine years, spanning two separate terms. His departure creates a leadership vacuum that the ministry aims to fill with a transitional figure.
Health Minister Haim Katz emphasized the importance of stability during this period of change. He noted that Israel is currently facing significant challenges on multiple fronts, requiring the healthcare system to maintain a strong foundation of professionalism and public confidence. Katz stated that ensuring operational continuity in one of the country's most essential government ministries is of particular importance.
Kreiss brings extensive experience to the new role, having served as a retired IDF brigadier-general and former chief medical officer of the Israel Defense Forces. He has been leading Sheba Medical Center for the past decade. Notably, he will continue to serve as the director of the medical center even while assuming the director-general role at the Health Ministry.
Support for the appointment has come from various sectors of the medical community. Dr. Ze'ev Feldman, chairman of the State Physicians Organization, expressed that Kreiss is well-suited to provide the necessary stability. Feldman stated that Kreiss is the right person to maintain and advance the system during a time of uncertainty, wishing him success in his new responsibilities.
Minister Katz highlighted Kreiss's track record in praising the appointment. He pointed out that under Kreiss's leadership, Sheba Medical Center has achieved exceptional results and established itself as a leading institution in international medicine. Katz argued that his experience and management abilities make him the ideal candidate to ensure stability and continuity at the Health Ministry during this transitional period.
However, not all reactions were without reservation. Prof. Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israel Association of Public Health Physicians, praised Kreiss as a highly experienced and accomplished physician and administrator. Levine described him as exceptionally well qualified for the position of Health Ministry director-general.
Despite the praise, Levine raised concerns about the logistical challenges of Kreiss handling two major roles simultaneously. He described the arrangement of serving as acting director-general while also leading Sheba Medical Center as an unhealthy anomaly. Levine argued that both the Health Ministry and the medical center require a full-time director-general, making it unreasonable for one person to perform both roles at the same time, even temporarily.
Levine expressed hope that the appointment will be extremely brief. He anticipated that a government will be formed very soon, which would allow for the appointment of a permanent, full-time health minister and a dedicated director-general for the ministry.
The transition is expected to be completed in December, marking a significant shift in the administrative leadership of Israel's healthcare sector. The dual role will place Kreiss at the intersection of major medical institution management and national health policy oversight for the foreseeable future.
