Center for Medication Balance and Proper Treatment in Seniors
Coordinating Doctor: Prof. Doron Garfinkel
Contact:
Phone (not for appointments): 03-5303103
Email: pnimiut@sheba.gov.il
Fax: 03-5302375/3001
To schedule an appointment with Prof. Doron Garfinkel, please email the director of the internal clinics at Yaakov.yaakovian@sheba.gov.il
For your information, the service is also provided in telemedicine.
Clinic Hours:
Sundays, 8:30-15:00
Location:
Hospitalization Tower, Outpatient Clinics, Wing C (Internal Clinic)
Many adults take numerous medications on a daily basis, often without professional oversight on managing and balancing them. It is known that this practice can lead to increased risks of drug interactions, side effects, and serious consequences like impaired physical function, falls, cognitive decline, depression, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite and weight, and even hospitalization and death. The financial burden of buying these medications contributes to the challenges. To fund their purchase, many adults are also compelled to cut back on their consumption of essential products.
As a result, the Center for Medication Balance and Proper Treatment in Seniors was opened in Sheba. Its founder and director is Prof. Doron Garfinkel, a specialist in internal medicine, palliative care, and geriatrics, who leads in the field of controlled drug discontinuation. In his studies, conducted in nursing wards and in the community, he found that many adults can stop taking their medications without causing harm even after years. Furthermore, it was found that discontinuing medication can improve physical, mental, and cognitive health, as well as quality of life.
Upon arriving at the center, patients and their family members meet with Prof. Garfinkel for about two hours and receive explanations about the benefits and risks of of each prescribed medication. Additionally, they are provided with a document (also intended for the family doctor) with recommendations on drug combinations, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition, vaccinations, and assistance from the health fund or social insurance (for example, rehabilitation, walking aids and a full-time caregiver). This is essentially a personalized health program tailored to age, medical condition, specific characteristics, and backed by scientific literature. It also specifies whether the patient is capable of signing legal documents (such as a will) or alternatively recommends the appointment of a guardian.
To book an appointment and arrive well-prepared for our meeting, please make sure to bring along your medical documents, such as a list of your diagnoses, medications, and any recent lab test results.
