Straight from the Gut

Information about patient rights, a discussion on the relationship between our brain and our belly, a show by actor and writer Dor Ben Zeev - all this and more were part of the successful annual meeting the Gastroenterology Unit holds for patients with inflammatory bowel disease

30/11/2016

As it has in the past, this year the staff of Hill Yaffe Medical Center's Gastroenterology Institute also held a meeting for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Several issues were covered in the meeting. Ms. Silvi Omer, CEO of the Israel Foundation for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, shared an overview of the services the Foundation provides. Ms. Yael Falk, also representing the Foundation, provided the patients with a great deal of educational information about their rights with the National Insurance Institute. The lecture by psychologist Amira Dekel described the connection between physical illnesses and psychological conditions, and provided explanations.

The Gastroenterology Institute staff on the day of the meeting

On the artistic side, the participants enjoyed singer and writer Dori Ben Zeev’s show, Songs that are Good for Your Health, and in between songs emphasized the connection between health and happiness.

There was also a Q&A panel with Dr. Baruch Ovadia and other professionals: a dietitian, social worker and psychologist, during which the experts answered questions from the patients.

The participants received words of encouragement from Clinical Assistant Professor Yael Kopelman - Director of the Gastroenterology Institute, Dr. Ovadia Baruch - Director of the Service for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Smadar Nasrin - Head Nurse at the Institute. Dr. Kopelman noted the work of Dr. Ovadia and nurse Smadar Nasrin, as the people who coordinate the comprehensive service given to these patients: service that provides diverse medical care as well as supportive care - psychological and social - all under a single roof for the benefit of the patients.

Clinical Asst. Prof. Kopelman summed up the event by saying, "These meetings allow us to leverage the practitioner-patient relationship, and we make sure to hold them every year. We enjoy the meetings and are happy to discover that the commitment to the relationships we have with the patients - is mutual. In these meetings, heightening awareness not only of the medical content, but also of the social, psychological and personal aspects is extremely important. See you in good health next year."