Israel: Millions allocated to improve National Mental Health program

Tel Aviv [Israel], October 20 (ANI/TPS): The government approved the Health Minister's proposal to increase the sources of the government funded health basket to 541 million Shekels (USD 163 million). This follows a "comprehensive" move by Israel's Ministry of Health to upgrade the National Mental Health Program, which includes implementing a new payment model, improving hospitalisation conditions, and incentives to improve the quality of care and develop services in the community. As part of the National Mental Health Program, a law on accounting between hospitals and health funds for mental health hospitalisation services went into effect several months ago.

The law applies a global payment model for psychiatric inpatient services for the first time, a move that aims to incentivise the prevention of hospitalisations, strengthen community care, and improve the quality of service in hospitals. As part of the implementation of the move, a new price per day of hospitalisation in psychiatric wards was set, which constitutes a direct incentive for continued development and improvement of the quality of care. (ANI/TPS)