The Pediatric Emergency Department is responsible for the provision of urgent medical care for children aged 17 years or less.  In addition to the treatment of acute medical emergencies, the department provides pediatric cover for severe childhood trauma patients treated at the Sheba Medical Center trauma unit.

Approximately 16,000 patients are treated annually in the ED and of these 25% are subsequently hospitalized.

 The Pediatric Emergency Department's staff comprises 6 board certified pediatricians, together with pediatric residents and interns and a highly qualified staff of pediatric nurses.  In addition, consultative services are available for all pediatric as well as surgical subspecialties.  The Pediatric Radiology Unit is in close proximity and X-ray and ultrasound examinations are rapidly available.

The department is open 24 hours a day throughout the year, and the recently renovated 300 sq. m (3,000 sq. ft.) facility enables the provision of optimal care in a unique and child friendly environment. 

Separate rooms have been provided for:

• Initial assessment and triage
• Stabilization and treatment of critical conditions prior to admission to the pediatric ward or intensive care unit
• A 3 bed treatment room
• Inhalation therapy
• Treatment of burns
  In addition, five fully equipped rooms have been provided for the examination of patients in private and yet warm and friendly surroundings.

Short Stay Unit
The new department incorporates a short stay and observation unit with 8 beds in 2 single and 3 double rooms, each with private bathroom and isolation facilities.  This unit was established in order to enable short (up to 24 hours) admissions and particularly overnight observation of patients who may require intravenous or inhalation therapy or special observation following, for example, head injuries.  Facilities are provided for the comfort of parents, as well as a play area for children.  The unit in addition, provides a service for patients undergoing special investigations, especially dynamic endocrinological tests, and short-term observation for patients following minor surgical procedures under anesthesia or sedation.

The "Ouch-less" Emergency Department
One of our main goals is to provide pain free or "ouch-less" treatment.
The treatment rooms and burn therapy room have nitrous oxide (laughing gas) available and the staff have undergone special training in the safe use of this gas as well as other agents for sedation and anesthesia.

Children requiring relatively minor interventions, as well as more complicated invasive procedures, are given optimal sedation.  This capability has had a major impact on the treatment of children throughout the hospital.  Many physicians and surgeons now bring their patients to the ED for "gas" whenever painful procedures are required.

Urgent Community Pediatrics
The Pediatric Emergency Department is responsible for the medical service in two community urgent care centers of the Maccabbi Health Care Service in Ramat Hasharon and Petach Tikva.  These centers provide a pediatric emergency service throughout the year from 8 am to 11 pm daily, and over 40,000 children are treated annually in the two centers.  Integration of hospital based emergency department physicians into the community centers has enabled provision of the highest level of care close to the child's home, with the back up and specialist services of the hospital available where necessary.  The department‘s staff is also responsible for 3 community primary care clinics and thus community-based pediatricians can maintain their skills and pursue academic careers in the hospital environment.

Department at a Glance
Number of Emergency Visits per Year - 16000
Director - Prof. Arie Augarten Prof. Arie Augarten was born in 1952, and received his medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University (1982). Besides being board certified in Pediatrics, he is board certified in Pediatric Pulmonology and in Emergency Medicine. In 1999 he was appointed as Director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at the Sheba Medical Center, and in addition since 2002 is the clinical director of our two affiliated community urgent care centers in Ramat Hasharon and Petach Tikva. Prof.  Augarten is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Pediatric Department of the Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University. His main fields of research include: Genotype- Phenotype Correlation in Cystic Fibrosis, Pain Control in Pediatrics, and the judicious use of imaging in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.
Address - The Edmond & Lily Safra Children's Hospital
E-mail - Arie.Ogerten@sheba.health.gov.il
Tel - 972-3-530-3054