Sheba hospital director Yitshak Kreiss to temporarily serve as Health Ministry director-general

Katz’s request followed the announcement that Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov would step down after serving in the role for about nine years across two terms.

Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, director of Sheba Medical Center, will temporarily assume the position of Health Ministry director-general in December at the request of Health Minister Haim Katz.

Katz’s request followed the announcement that Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov would step down after serving in the role for about nine years across two terms.

"At a time when the State of Israel is facing numerous challenges on multiple fronts, the healthcare system needs a foundation of stability, professionalism, and confidence for Israeli citizens,” Katz said on the temporary appointment. “Ensuring operational continuity and stable leadership at the Health Ministry, one of the country's most essential government ministries, is therefore particularly important.”

Kreiss, a retired IDF brigadier-general and former IDF chief medical officer, has worked at Sheba for the past decade. He will continue to serve as director of Sheba Medical Center after taking on the director-general role.

"Under his leadership, Sheba Medical Center has achieved exceptional results and established itself as a leading institution in international medicine. His experience and management abilities make him the right person to ensure the stability and continuity needed at the Health Ministry during this period."

Dr. Ze'ev Feldman, chairman of the State Physicians Organization, added that Kreiss is the right person to provide Israel’s healthcare system with the stability it needs.

"The healthcare system needs stability and operational continuity,” said Feldman. “Prof. Kreiss is the right person to maintain and advance the system, particularly during the period of uncertainty we are facing. On behalf of the State Physicians Organization, I would like to wish him success in his new role."

Sheba, Health Ministry need full-time directors

Prof. Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israel Association of Public Health Physicians, praised Kreiss’ appointment while raising concerns over his handling of two large roles at once.

"Prof. Kreiss is a highly experienced and accomplished physician and medical administrator who is exceptionally well qualified for the position of Health Ministry director-general,” Levine said. 

“His appointment as acting Health Ministry director-general while simultaneously serving as director of Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer constitutes an unhealthy anomaly. Both the Health Ministry and Sheba Medical Center need a full-time director-general. It is unreasonable for one person to perform both roles simultaneously, even temporarily.”

"We hope the appointment will be extremely brief and that a government will be formed very soon, with a permanent, full-time health minister and Health Ministry director-general.”