EMA Care Blog

Medical cannabis management in Israel can be challenging, especially for people who are older with chronic pain or medical conditions.   Israel is among a growing number or countries that authorize the use of medical cannabis for specific chronic medical conditions, including certain types of chronic pain.  There are currently over 20,000 medical cannabis licenses in Israel.  Medical Cannabis (MC) has been shown to be effective in improving symptoms for (among other conditions): Certain chronic pain syndromes including neuropathic pain (pain from nerve damage) Certain chronic diseases Cancer treatment side effects Terminally ill patients Mid- to Late-Stage Dementia in the elderly Many patients who have failed conventional...

There are many reasons to change your kupat holim (health plan).  Your favorite doctor may no longer be covered at your kupah, you may have moved, and a different kupah is right down the street.  Your decision may be based on a kupah’s easier online access, or the complementary medicine services offered is more inclusive.  As you age, your medical needs change, and perhaps your current plan is not providing what you now need. Whatever the reason is, you are lawfully able to change your kupat cholim whenever you want.  According to Israeli law, kupot holim may not bar applicants on...

Prescription medications in Israel can oftentimes be different than in other countries.  Whether planning a trip or sending a child for a Gap Year, understanding the availability of medication locally can help guide decision making and planning for health needs. Here are 10 rules about prescription medication in Israel: Some medications are not available here.  Medications in Israel must be approved through a lengthy bureaucratic and often political process.  Some medications, deemed either unnecessary or too expensive, or too rarely needed – are simply not available.Medications may come in different doses.  For example, thyroid medication is not available in 25mcg increments. ...

If you are a student with food allergies and living in a dorm, you must take precautions to assure you live in a safe environment.  It’s very important to realize that people who don’t have any exposure to anaphylactic allergies often don’t understand how dangerous they can be. For example, an allergy sufferer meets his roommate for the first time, he says I am allergic to peanuts. The roommate enjoys peanut butter and he says he will be very careful whenever he eats peanut butter in the room. “The peanut butter won’t go anywhere. How dangerous can it be?”. This is...

Aging in place is the phrase used to describe seniors who choose to stay living in their home – even when aging becomes more challenging.  Aging in place is a popular choice instead of moving to a skilled nursing facility, and over 96% of older adults in Israel are currently aging in place!  Aging in place requires coordination and utilizing services and resources available to ease the burdens often encountered as people age.  With aging in place, more people can choose where to live, and to maintain a higher level of independence for a longer period of time. Aging in place...

The Flu vaccine in Israel is available now!!  It’s important that you go now while flu vaccine supply lasts!! In previous years, there have been shortages of the vaccine.  Why should people get the flu vaccine? Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death.Between 80% and 90% of flu related deaths occur in people 65 years and older. So the vaccine is a must for seniors! Other people at risk include people of all ages with pre-existing chronic health conditions, children, and pregnant women.Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread...

Crohn’s disease in Israel can be challenging to manage, especially for students and tourists who do not have access to the full-service Israeli health care system. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affect as many as 1.4 million Americans, most of who are diagnosed before age 30.   Crohn’s disease causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue in the gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation. It is a life-long condition that can be treated but not cured.   Crohn's Disease Management in Israel Ashkenazi Jews are at significantly higher risk for Crohn's disease, and research is being conducted to...

There may be parental stress as your child leaves for his gap year in Israel. The gap year is an extraordinary time for young adults to grow spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. However, it can be a bittersweet experience for many parents.  You are excited for your child but missing and worrying about your child may be inevitable. EMA Care provides some guidance for parents to cope with their own stress… and make it easier for their children to have a successful year. You are nervous about your child being so far away, constantly scanning the news for anything going on in...

Most people experience confusion when they need to be in a hospital.  Confusion is the inability to think as clearly or as quickly as you want to. Whether you are a patient or a relative of the patient - hospitals are confusing.  Without a medical background, it can be an almost helpless feeling.  What’s going on?  Should I ask that question? What is going to happen next? Why did the doctor say that?  Why isn’t the nurse coming?  Why do I feel so out of place? There are 3 types of confusion people have in hospitals: Situational confusionFamily confusionDelirium confusion  ...

People have been asking “why do gap year students need EMA Care??” The answer is: Student health plans do not cover essential health needs that parents want for their child.  EMA Care provides those services and fills in the gaps left by local insurance programs.  Each year thousands of students come to Israel to work, study, and have fun!  After high school, it has become a rite of passage for Jewish youth from all over the world to spend 1-12 months in Israel.  The programs are varied from yeshiva/seminary or university study to volunteering in the Negev desert. These varied programs have...

There are many cultural differences between Israel and other countries.  Anyone who has had any business interaction here will vouch for that! But did you know that culture also affects your health care? We are not only talking about a language barrier. A visitor to Israel who ends up in the emergency room will undergo an overwhelming, disorienting, truly foreign experience. The three ways cultural differences may affect your healthcare in Israel:   1.Chutzpah- Israeli chutzpah is world famous. It is how the commandos raided Entebbe and freed the hijacked passengers 40 years ago this week. It is also why other people...

Many elderly are choosing to live their golden years in Israel.  About 14% of immigrants to Israel are over the age of 65. What happens when a parent becomes ill and you, the children, are not living here?  Long distance care giving is tough, if not impossible.  What will you do if your parent deteriorates in function?  Has a stroke or a heart attack?  When a crisis occurs it can be daunting to understand where to turn, what to do next, and how to get information even if you are in proximity of your parent!  Imagine how incredibly difficult it will...

It’s inevitable that somewhere, somehow, a teen from one of the many Israeli summer programs, could be in a hospital emergency room this summer.  There are hundreds of teens here and the sad, but true fact is that someone is going to get hurt or sick.  The program director, a counselor, or an ambulance will take the teen to the hospital. What happens when the teen arrives in the ER? Emergency rooms in Israeli hospitals follow typical ER protocol.  However, hospitals are even more crowded here. Hospitals in remote locations may offer sub-optimal care.  Patients are treated based on the severity...

The warm Mediterranean Sea on Israel’s coast may be fun to swim in, but jellyfish season is upon us!  Every summer, Israeli beaches suffer from jellyfish for a number of weeks.  Whether in the water or washed up ashore, jellyfish pose a (potentially life threatening) hazard.  EMA Care gives you tips on what to do if you get stung by a floating cell or jellyfish tentacle. Fact: Jellyfish is one of the most intimidating creatures of the sea. In Hebrew the word for jellyfish is “medusa”. In classic Greek mythology Medusa is a monster (gorgon) in the form of a woman with snakes...

From two-week summer volunteer programs to an eight-week all-inclusive tour of Israel, this summer there will be tens of thousands of young people visiting Israel. Whether it’s digging on an archaeological site, hiking from sea to sea, or studying in a yeshiva, it’s guaranteed to be a summer your child will not forget!  EMA Care wants to help parents support their teens' trip to Israel.  May is the perfect month to begin preparing your child on how to cope in a new country. Here are the top four things you can do to prepare your child for Israel: 1. Teach your child about...

What are the value-added services EMA Care adds compared to current services and medical insurance alone? See our chart below to compare current practice with the value of EMA Care service...     ITEMCurrent Practice – Foreign StudentsEMA Care PracticeAttending emergencies or appointmentsStudent goes alone or the school sends a madrich/ counselor.  Some schools send non-medical faculty members.  Neither option has health knowledge to know if optimal care is being received.Health professional attends emergency or appointment, ensures optimal, US level services are being provided.CommunicationsParents call administrators regarding their child’s health situation.  Administrators are not medical professionals and cannot answer to quality and...

Over the Counter (OTC) medications in Israel are different than in the US or other countries.  Names and availability differ from country to country, and having a basic understanding of what to expect can help you figure out what to purchase when you are sick.  Here are 5 rules about OTC medications in Israel: Not everything available OTC in the US and Europe is available OTC in Israel.   Some medications for yeast infections, heartburn, pain, allergies, and some skin conditions (like acne) are prescription only..Some OTC medications are available in Israel that aren’t available in the US, such as dipyrone pain...