A new WhatsApp group provides timely consultations and possible diagnoses between medical professionals at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) in Haifa, Israel, and community pediatricians in the region.
Dr. Idit Pasternak. Photography: Rambam HCC
In response to ongoing issues facing the youth in Northern Israel, a team from the Cheryl Spencer Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital at Rambam hosted a conference entitled “Facing the Community.” The discussion focused on establishing a continuum of care for children whereby the community healthcare system collaborates with hospital specialists.
Dozens of pediatricians and medical professionals from Israel’s north participated in the forum with senior physicians from Rambam sharing from their expertise by presenting case studies and stressing the importance of pain-free treatment. Particularly well-received by the attendees were practical workshops offered on a range of topics including treatment of cuts, fixation of fractures, ultrasound examinations, and simulated on-site treatments.
Conference physicians participating in one of the workshops.
“The conference dealt with the fundamental understanding that good care and providing children with a high-quality and authentic response requires cooperation between community and hospital pediatricians," explains Dr. Idit Pasternak, Director of the Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine who organized the conference. “We focused on the need to create a therapeutic protocol, both in the referral phase to the hospital and in the discharge phase, which demands attentiveness, familiarity, and effective communication between all involved parties.”
Conference attendees were quite enthusiastic regarding the discussed need to establish a “therapeutic continuum” for children in which the community and hospitals are intertwined. In support of this decision, a regional WhatsApp group of approximately 240 participants was created, consisting of community physicians from the North and pediatric emergency medicine experts from Rambam, allowing for real-time consultations.
Pasternak added, “There is an old, well-known saying that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’.” She continued, “This is certainly true for their care as well. A ‘continuous’ concept of treatment between the two systems can only benefit the patient, which is why we are working on strengthening the ties between us. In this way, we give children the best treatment as quickly as possible; save unnecessary suffering, turmoil, and anxiety for the patients and their families; and enable medical teams to focus on cases that truly require the specialized treatment skills they possess.”
A hot topic of concern at the conference was addressing the sharp rise in instances of cannabis poisoning amongst children. According to the Israel Poison Information Center at Rambam, 34 cases of cannabis poisoning in young people 18 and under were reported last year, reflecting a 62% increase from 2022.
One such notable case occurred at the end of December 2023 when a one-year-old child was brought to the Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Rambam, confused and needing respiratory assistance. A quick investigation and tests revealed that the cause was cannabis poisoning. The toddler was transferred to the Wagner-Green Pediatric Intensive
Care Unit for treatment and observation, and showed signs of recovery after a day.
According to Dr. Pasternak, there is a growing trend in the use of medical cannabis, placing children and teens at risk of exposure to cannabis products. “Children react differently to cannabis than adults, so exposure to these substances puts them in danger,” says Pasternak. “Many of these cases end up in intensive care.”
The establishment of a "therapeutic continuum" and the formation of a regional WhatsApp group mark crucial steps toward real-time collaboration and shared expertise. By addressing emerging concerns like the rise in cannabis poisoning cases, this collaboration between Rambam and community pediatricians will promote the best and quickest treatment for children.
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