Doctors at Sheba Medical Center were not aware of the severity of Eli Hurvitz's condition, they were not briefed on the lab results from the morning of the day he died, and did not respond to pleas by family and nursing staff to examine him, a Health Ministry investigation revealed on Tuesday. Hurvitz, chairman and former CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals, died on cancer in November 2011. The inquiry was conducted by Health Ministry ombudsman Professor Haim Hershko. In the report, Hershko noted that Hurvitz's family was not notified of the severity of Hurvitz's condition and that medical information was not passed on to the medical team that worked the evening shift. Also, the doctor on duty, who was caring for other urgent cases, did not respond to requests from nursing staff and family members to check Hurvitz for four hours, until his death. The report pointed to "significant weaknesses" in the conduct of the Internal Medicine Department. Hershko found that there was "a failure in the transfer of vital information." He also cited a "lack of means and manpower" in the hospital's Internal Medicine Department. However, another committee appointed by the Health Ministry came up with more complex findings. The second committee's findings on workload and treatment process were similar to Hershko's but determined that Hurvitz's treatment met "accepted standards" and that the family's claims were based on the fact that "doctors and nursing staff projected an overly optimistic assessment to the family." The conclusions will be sent to the Health Ministry's chief prosecutor who will subsequently issue recommendations on possible disciplinary actions. In a statement, Sheba Medical Center said that work practices in the Internal Medicine Department would be revised and that it has requested that the Health Ministry take steps to ease the workload of the department. Sheba Medical Center also hinted that the severity of Hershko's findings was based on the identity of the deceased individual, a widely beloved public figure. Hurvitz's daughter accused the hospital of attempting to divert attention from the failed treatment of her father and rejected the suggestion that Hershko made his findings more severe due to the identity of her father.
Former pharmaceutical CEO was 'victim of medical negligence'
Former Teva CEO Eli Hurvitz's family was not briefed on the severity of his condition, doctors failed to respond to pleas by family and nursing staff asking for an examination for four hours, until his death • Hurvitz died of cancer in November 2011.
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