During the last decade, the population of Netivot and its surroundings has grown enormously, both because of natural growth and because of massive absorption of new immigrants. This population, which includes the area councils of Sedot Negev, Merchavim and Eshkol, as well as the towns of Sederot, Ofakim and Netivot, is already approaching 100,000 residents. A population of this size requires advanced, up-to-date medical services, and marked improvement in all the emergency medical services provided in the immediate area. To date, residents of the area are dependent on emergency medical services provided by the Sirocca Medical Center in Be’er Sheva and Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon. Due to the large geographical distance between the two medical centers – 70km., and the size and density of the cities in which they are situated, the time taken to reach emergency care is very significant.

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Netivot is situated half way between Ashkelon and Be’er Sheva, on an arterial route. Because of its situation and ease of access, Netivot at present serves all the residents of the area as an urban center, and provides most of the cultural, mercantile, religious and medical services for the region. It is therefore appropriate that emergency services be situated in Netivot.

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The proposed site for the Emergency Care Center is in the “Siren Compound” in which all the area emergency services are housed: Fire Department, Magen David Adom and the Police. This compound is accessible for all the townships in the region in general and for Netivot in particular.

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The Emergency Care Center will be fully computerized, and will provide a range of first line care, as do similar centers in other large concentrations of population throughout the country. In the first instance, the Emergency Care Center will be manned only at night, but in due course will function as a regular Emergency Room, 24 hours a day. Each shift will employ three doctors: an internist, a surgeon and a pediatrician, two nurses, two receptionists and in addition there will be specialists on call: ob/gyn, orthopedist etc.. The Emergency Care center will be operated and maintained by the municpality of Netivot, in partnership with the Paths to Health Company, while remaining under the licensing and supervision of the Ministry of Health. The operating cost on the basis of night shifts only is approximately 350,000 NIS per month.

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The proposed building is divided into five different departments. One enters via a main lobby which is accessible by vehicles and pedestrians, and in which there is the Reception Desk. To the left of the lobby are the Pediatric and Ob/Gyn Emergency Rooms, while the Internal Medicine and Surgical Emergency Rooms are off to the right. Facing and beyond the Reception Desk is the administrative area. Beyond the Internal Medicine Emergency Room is an area housing Treatment Rooms and Laboratories. The building is designed so that there is immediate access between departments, to the scale of mobile beds.

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The Entrance Area: 144 sq.m.

The Entrance Area includes an external Ambulance Bay and pedestrian approach, and an internal Lobby which has a seating and waiting area, with access to Men’s and Women’s lavatories. Opposite the entrance is the Reception Desk with two reception stations.

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The Administrative Area: 116 sq.m.

This area is situated behind the entrance to the proposed building and includes a conference room, the Emergency Center Manager’s office, the Medical Director’s office, an Accounts office including two comptroller’s stations, and an Administration office including two stations for the administrative director and maintenance supervisor. From this department there is access to all other parts of the building, and from it all aspects of functioning of the Emergency Center can be easily overseen.

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The Pediatric and Ob/Gyn Emergency Rooms: 182 sq. m.

This department is to the left of the entrance and will consist of a 4 bed Pediatric Emergency Room and a 3 bed Ob/Gyn Emergency Room. There will also be a Nurse’s Room with 2 treatment beds.

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The Internal Medicine and Surgical Emergency Rooms: 408 sq.m.

This department, which is to the right of the entrance lobby, will include: a 4 bed Internal Medicine Emergency Room and a 4 bed Surgical Emergency Room. There will be 3 doctor’s rooms, a Nurse’s Room with two treatment beds, and a Staff Room. This department will also have a 2 bed Trauma Room, with two rescussitation trolleys.

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The Treatment Rooms and Laboratories: 160 sq.m.

This department, which is behind the Internal Medicine Emergency Room, will include: a Urinalysis Room, an Orthopedic Treatment Room, a Surgical Treatment Room, an Enema Room, a Laboratory equipped with a centrifuge, Coulter Counter, Chemical Analysis and Troponin Analysis machines, and a fully equipped digital X Ray Laboratory. All the departments in the building have access to this area, without traffic to it disturbing the ongoing activities of the Internal Medicine Emergency Room.

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Area of the building.

Entrance complex: 144 sq.m.

Administration Department: 116 sq. m.

Pediatric and Ob/Gyn Emergency Rooms: 182 sq.m.

Internal Medicine and Surgical Emergency Rooms: 408 sq.m.

Treatment Rooms and Laboratories: 160 sq.m.

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Total area of building: 1004 sq.m.