Shaare Zedek Medical Center is located at the heart of Jerusalem and situated along the main thoroughfares of Begin Road and Herzl Boulevard. Its strategic location makes it a preferred destination for trauma patients with severe multi-system injuries requiring urgent medical intervention and life-saving measures. The center serves the population of Jerusalem and the settlements in the Gush Etzion, Mateh Yehuda, and Mateh Binyamin regions, as well as injured individuals from the Palestinian Authority.
On June 14, 2021, Shaare Zedek Medical Center received recognition as a Level 1 Trauma Center, placing it at the forefront of medical facilities in Israel for treating injured patients. Trauma injuries result from external forces affecting the human body, such as road accidents, falls, penetrating injuries, and burns.
The trauma unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center has treated numerous injured individuals from terrorist attacks, severe accidents, and local disasters, becoming a vital part of Jerusalem's emergency response network, handling trauma care, training rescue teams, and preparing for incidents with a large number of casualties.
Every year, Shaare Zedek Medical Center admits over 2,500 trauma patients, with one in nine of them suffering from complex or multi-system injuries. The comprehensive care for these patients is managed by the trauma unit's director and includes specialized procedures utilizing advanced medical technologies in various fields, such as neurosurgery for head injuries, otolaryngology for ear, nose, and throat injuries, and oral and maxillofacial surgery for facial injuries. Other areas of expertise include orthopedic surgery for skeletal injuries, including the spine and neck, general and thoracic surgery for internal organ injuries, as well as vascular surgery and interventional radiology for vascular injuries.
The treatment of trauma patients begins in the trauma and resuscitation room, equipped with four beds and advanced monitoring equipment. Life-saving interventions are carried out by the medical staff and paramedics from the emergency room and surgical departments. After initial stabilization, the patient undergoes further advanced imaging tests at the modern imaging center adjacent to the resuscitation room or receives advanced treatment in the operating room or the intensive care unit.
Trauma patients are hospitalized in various departments of the medical center, based on the classification of their injuries. Those with multi-system injuries are admitted to the second general surgery department. The department includes a support team comprising social workers, trauma-specialized psychologists, physical therapy, and occupational therapy staff, as well as a pain management team skilled in treating these patients.
The trauma unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center is led by a general surgeon who completed a two-year sub-specialty training program at the Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, Florida. The unit also includes a trauma coordinator, an experienced nurse who is also a paramedic trained in a national course, responsible for liaising with the injured and their families, coordinating with emergency responders (Magen David Adom, IDF), conducting quality control of treatment, and instructing the hospital staff caring for the patients. Trauma records maintain registration and reporting to the national database for every hospitalized trauma patient, in compliance with the requirements of the Ministry of Health.
The unit engages in academic and research activities, including monthly trauma forums with extensive participation, where complex cases treated at the medical center are presented. Participation and presentation in an international video conference led by the Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, where trauma cases from various medical centers worldwide are presented, showcasing their clinical experience. Workshops on trauma treatment are held for hospital staff and emergency responders outside the hospital. The unit also provides instruction to students and residents and publishes in medical journals.