Prof Zvi Shimoni appointed Medical Director of Laniado Hospital
PROFESSOR ZVI SHIMONI APPOINTED MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF LANIADO HOSPITAL
After serving for 28 years as Director of Internal Medicine at Laniado, Professor Shimoni has been appointed as its new Medical Director following the recent retirement Dr. Avinoam Skolnik.
Born in Netanya, Professor Shimoni joined the Laniado staff after completing his medical degree at Tel Aviv University. He served his internship in internal medicine at HaEmek Hospital in Afula and residency in infectious diseases at the Rabin Medical Center in Petach Tikva. He became Director of Internal Medicine Department 28 years ago, at the age of 35.
Prof. Shimoni, what has changed at Laniado during your 28 years of service as a senior doctor? "When I arrived in 1988, Laniado lacked many essential medical services; a CT, an MRI, a catheterization room and more. Since then, the hospital has come a long way and today, due to tremendous investment, we are able to provide a full range of medical services with all the necessary equipment. Another field in which we have progressed over the years is in the academic arena. When I first arrived, we were not recognized as a hospital for internships and were certainly not accredited for residency. To my great delight, most departments today at Laniado have accredited residency programs. Just recently, the Infectious Diseases Unit was recognized for full residency. We are also affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, allowing us to accept medical students in our training program for leading doctors. Being a University Hospital is very significant for our internal staff training. We are proud that, for several years, many of our physicians have been recognized as "outstanding teachers”.
What is your vision for the future as Laniado’s Medical Director?
"We are the only medical institution in the Netanya region. As a body that provides medical services to some 350,000 residents of Netanya and the Sharon region, we must provide an excellent service. This excellence is the product of our deep sense of mission, our commitment to saving lives. Striving for excellence was central to my work as Department Director and will continue to be in my new role. I consider my profession much more than a job. I see it as a mission. In this vein, I reached an agreement with the management of Laniado, headed by the Sanzer Rebbe, that my new role would not bring an end to my direct contact with patients."
Since taking up his new role, Prof. Shimoni has been focusing on a task of paramount importance – recruiting doctors to fill senior positions at the hospital. "Many of the founding generation of Laniado medical professionals, who had exceptional medical and human qualities, have now reached retirement. We are committed to finding good, professional personnel who will fit into their large shoes. This is not an easy task, but I believe it is possible to do."