Prof. Oren, Director General of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Retires

Last Thursday, at the official send-off in the auditorium of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, the management of the Ministry of Health, headed by the Director General, heads of the authorities, hospital employees, colleagues and others bid farewell to Prof. Meir Oren, who has served as Director General of HYMC since 1989.

Prof. Meir Oren, married with three children, resident of Hadera, Director General of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, was previously also Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Health (1995-1996). Before that time he served as Director of Poriya Medical Center in Tiberias (1984-1989). Over the years, Prof. Oren has worked with the Israeli National Advisory Committee for Preparedness for Biological Emergencies and as Chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Hospital Exceptional Biological Scenarios, and with the Israeli National Council for Trauma and Emergency Medicine, of which he has served as Chairman since 2013.  In 2009, he received the Civil Service Outstanding Service Award, Israel Civil Service Commission.

During his tenure as Director General of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Prof. Oren spearheaded numerous projects to promote the hospital, including medical content, organizational structure, technologies, academia and more. Upon his arrival in 1989, the Maternity Ward was opened in a new building, and this was followed by a new Emergency Room, a special building for institutes and laboratories, as well as a kitchen and cafeteria. Additional units and departments were opened, the number of beds increased, including another inpatient building with 288 beds, and additional developments at the hospital.

During the ceremony, a video was shown, reviewing Prof. Oren's work, along with a song in which all the employees were shown saying farewell and wishing him the best of luck. Furthermore, colleagues and friends made over the course of his career spoke, including Dr. Amnon Ben Mosher, Administrative Director of the Hospital and Prof. Oren's colleague since in 1989, who said, "Our hospital is saying goodbye to an outstanding director, who has positioned it among the leading hospital's in Israel. You are leaving an excellent hospital with a professional, dedicated and loyal staff that has come together over the years. Thank you for our many years together, many experiences, difficulties, but mainly true partnership and wonderful friendship."

The Director General of the Ministry of Health, Mr. Moshe Bar Siman Tov, said, "You have had a strong influence on the healthcare system, and I am sure that despite the fact you are retiring, you will remain active and continue to make an impact."

Prof. Oren himself was moved by all of the tributes and said, "Hillel Yaffe hospital has been my home for decades. You are partners and friends. I want to wish you, the entire hospital staff and each one of you individually continued success in your work. Continued success to the members of the administration, Dr. Amnon Ben Moshe, Dr. Mickey Dudkiewicz, Dr. Ohad Hochman ad Dina Fainblat - it is important for me to thank you for the partnership. May you continue to succeed in your endeavors."

Clearly, it was a ceremony filled with nostalgia, and mainly an opportunity to express appreciation, respect and pay tribute to the man who headed the medical center that has developed significantly over the years. He knew how to keep it on course, despite the many challenges, terror attacks, successes and complexities, which are part and parcel of the job for any general director of a large public institution.