FORTIFYING OUR CRITICAL CARE
Every siren reminds us that time is not on our side. The survival of our most vulnerable patients depends on care delivered in a space that can withstand the next missile.
The threat to our region and our patients has never been more immediate. Missile sirens are again piercing the air in Haifa, reminding us that Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) must continue serve as the frontline hospital for Israel’s north. Over the past two years, we have witnessed with painful clarity how essential it is to have a Fortified Critical Care Medicine Division. Rambam’s ability to care for critically ill patients cannot depend on calm days.
Our existing critical care facility was built over 25 years ago, and it is unfortified, requiring us to move vulnerable patients during attacks.
When every second counts, there is no time to evacuate. A fortified critical care is not a luxury—it is the only way to save lives under fire.
WHY NOW?
Rambam is northern Israel’s largest and only Level 1 trauma center. We treat over 1,000 critically ill patients each year, including victims of trauma, severe burns, heart failure, sepsis, brain hemorrhages, and multi-organ injuries.
During Operation Rising Lion, Rambam:
- Prepared the Fortified Underground Emergency Hospital (FUEH)
- Transferred all patients from unfortified spaces to the FUEH
- Continued offering essential services such as CT, MRI, chemotherapy, cardiac procedures, and surgeries
- Received vulnerable patients, including neonates, from Carmel Hospital and Fliman Geriatric Hospital
THE PLAN:
A FORTIFIED, FUTURE-READY ICU
We will soon break ground on the world-class, fully fortified
Critical Care Medicine Division in Rambam’s Sammy Ofer Tower.
Key features:
- 24 fully fortified ICU beds, all in single-occupancy rooms
- Negative pressure isolation rooms for infectious disease control
- Dedicated burn unit and critical surgical recovery spaces
- Seamless integration of smart ICU technology
- Multidisciplinary care teams with 24/7 specialist coverage
- 4,800 square meters over two expansive, high-tech floors
This facility will be the largest and most advanced ICU in Israel, combining cutting-edge medicine with physical protection from war.