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| Israel Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases | |
|---|---|
| Name | Israel Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases |
| Type | Professional association |
| Region served | Israel |
Israel Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases is a professional association for clinicians, researchers, and laboratory scientists working in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases in Israel. The society engages with hospitals, universities, and public health institutions to promote patient care, research, and policy, while interacting with international organizations and academic publishers. It serves as a national forum connecting specialists from diverse institutions and disciplines across Israel.
The society was founded amid developments in post-World War II medical organization and the expansion of specialty medicine in Israel, drawing on expertise from institutions such as Hadassah Medical Center, Sheba Medical Center, Rambam Health Care Campus, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Beilinson Hospital. Early leaders included clinicians trained at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, who coordinated with public health authorities like the Ministry of Health (Israel) and regional laboratories associated with the Israel Defense Forces. Over subsequent decades the society adapted to milestones including the emergence of HIV/AIDS, the expansion of antimicrobial resistance awareness, and responses to outbreaks such as SARS, MERS, and the COVID-19 pandemic. It has evolved alongside international counterparts such as the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and the World Health Organization.
The society's mission aligns with improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases through evidence-based practice and translational research. Objectives emphasize standards for laboratory quality linked to agencies like the Israel Institute for Biological Research and accreditation frameworks comparable to Joint Commission International and national health authorities. It promotes guidelines that intersect with clinical centers such as Shaare Zedek Medical Center and university departments at Bar-Ilan University, supporting surveillance priorities recognized by organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Membership comprises infectious disease physicians, clinical microbiologists, medical technologists, epidemiologists, and researchers from institutions like Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Faculty of Health Sciences, and private laboratories. The governance structure typically includes an elected executive board, standing committees resembling models used by the Royal College of Physicians and specialty societies such as the American Society for Microbiology. Subcommittees address laboratory standards, antimicrobial stewardship, and outbreak response, coordinating with hospital committees at Assuta Medical Center and regional health services such as Clalit Health Services and Maccabi Healthcare Services.
The society runs clinical guideline development similar to efforts by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, organizes national surveillance initiatives parallel to programs at the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network, and supports antimicrobial stewardship programs in collaboration with major hospitals including Soroka Medical Center. It facilitates proficiency testing, laboratory accreditation workshops, and clinical case conferences modeled after grand rounds at academic centers like Mount Sinai Health System and Johns Hopkins Hospital. The society also issues position statements during public health events, coordinating with agencies such as the Israeli Center for Disease Control and international partners like Médecins Sans Frontières.
Annual scientific meetings attract presenters from universities and institutes such as Imperial College London, University of Oxford, Harvard Medical School, and Karolinska Institutet, and include sessions on microbiology techniques, molecular diagnostics, and clinical therapeutics. The society disseminates recommendations and consensus statements through newsletters and peer-reviewed outlets comparable to The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Clinical Infectious Diseases, and Journal of Clinical Microbiology, and collaborates on special issues with regional journals and university presses. It hosts satellite symposia during international congresses such as meetings of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Educational programs include continuing medical education credits coordinated with medical faculties at Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Medicine and postgraduate training aligned with residency programs at centers like Hadassah Medical Center and Rambam Health Care Campus. The society organizes hands-on workshops in molecular diagnostics, phylogenetics, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using standards from bodies such as the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and curricula informed by academic departments at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Fellowship and mentorship initiatives mirror structures used by the European Union of Medical Specialists and specialty boards in other countries.
The society collaborates with national bodies like the Ministry of Health (Israel), international agencies including the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and non-governmental organizations such as Doctors Without Borders. It advocates for policy on antimicrobial stewardship, vaccination strategies linked to programs at Clalit Health Services, and laboratory capacity building in partnership with academic institutions like Weizmann Institute of Science and international research centers such as the Pasteur Institute and Robert Koch Institute. Through these collaborations the society contributes to national preparedness, guideline harmonization, and cross-border research projects addressing priorities identified by the Global Fund and other funders.
Category:Medical associations based in Israel Category:Organizations established in the 20th century