Expertise/Specialty Interests:
Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation.
Languages:
Hebrew, English, Yiddish.
Education & Fellowships:
- Fellowship in Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, USA (1993-1994)
- Residency and Fellowship in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer (1983-1991)
- Medical School (graduated com laude) – Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheba, Israel (1976-1982)
Recent Activities:
Overseeing the treatment of over 1200 patients per year with severe heart failure in the Heart Failure Service at the Leviev Heart Center, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.
Of the 1200 yearly patients, about 70% suffer from Coronary Heart Disease (Ischemic Heart Disease), about 25% suffer from Cardiomyopathies (including Hypertrophic, Dilated, Restrictive, and Toxic Cardiomyopathy, Infiltrative Diseases, etc.), and the rest are Valvular Heart Diseases.
The range of treatments includes diagnosis, pharmacological (medication), advanced pacemakers and defibrillators implementations, treatment for arrhythmias (medication and ablation), angiographic procedures for opening coronary arteries, angiographic implantation of aortic valve and correction or repair of mitral valve regurgitation, surgeries (even in complex medical situations) including coronary bypass, valve repair and replacement, and congenital anomalies correction.
Responsible for the care, evaluation and decisions making for sending hundreds of patients for heart transplantation, including artificial and orthotopic heart transplantation.
Career Accomplishments:
- Founded the first Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation program in Israel (1995-1999)
- Established the first day care facility in Israel for advanced heart failure patients and for heart transplant candidates (1999)
- Worldwide pioneer in rehabilitating end stage cardiac patients through a program of exercise training (1999)
- Head of Heart Failure Service at the Leviev Heart Center, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer (since 2000)
- A member of multiple national committees held by the Israeli Ministry of Health, which decided about guidelines for heart transplantation and use of artificial heart (2007-2009)
- General Secretary of the Israeli Intensive Cardiac Care Association (2000-2001)
- Chairman of Israeli Heart Failure Association (2005-2007)
Academic Involvement:
- Associate Professor of Cardiology in the Sacler Medical School in Tel-Aviv University
- Taught hundreds of students and cardiology fellows
- Tutor to many MD thesis works