Thirteen of the twenty operating rooms in the surgical complex at the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital Tower were dedicated on January 10, 2016. Hadassah’s high-level surgical teams will carry out complicated surgeries under optimal conditions, with a level of technology used by the world’s top-tier hospitals. Most of the funds were contributed by Hadassah supporters in America and Hadassah International.
The OR complex is located deep underground, fortified to provide a safe operating space, even in the event of chemical and biological warfare. From atypically large rooms (55-85 square meters) to stainless steel walls for a more sterile environment to special lighting affixed to the ceiling, from sophisticated computerized imaging devices to flexible operating tables that rotate to various positions, a myriad of high-tech innovations allow the surgical team a larger breadth of choices in operating.
The most unusual OR is the “hybrid room,” a breakthrough concept in which an 83-square meter room contains both a special radiology scan as well as an operating table. Planned for the most complicated surgery--especially life-saving trauma cases—the room’s design allows for many staff members from diverse specialties to do different surgical procedures in parallel.
According to Senior Surgeon Prof. Ofer Gofrit: “When there is a complex injury, there is always debate over whether to do imaging first to determine exactly where the injury to the blood vessels is or to operate immediately. The hybrid room allows the staff to do the imaging right away, to get a CT scan, and to start surgery without moving the patient from one place to another.”
“This is the public’s hospital,” relates Incoming Director General Prof. Zeev Rotstein. With this new surgery complex comes the highest quality of technology that complements the high quality of Hadassah medicine and patient care.”
On hand with Prof. Rotstein for the dedication were Minister of Health Yakov Litzman, Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat, and National President of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America Ellen Hershkin, along with other dignitaries.