An Australian doctor on Hadassah’s frontline

Hadassah Australia, together with the Perth Jewish Doctors Group and Dianella Shule, recently held the event “Healing Lives in Extraordinary Times”, featuring Professor Vernon van Heerden, one of the most prominent intensive care physicians at the Hadassah Medical Organisation and in Israel more broadly.

Van Heerden is well known in Perth, having worked at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital as an intensive care physician and served as president of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand.

Since making aliyah in 2012, van Heerden has built an exceptional career at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. He is now a senior intensivist and anaesthetist at Hadassah Mount Scopus, having previously served as head of the General Intensive Care Department at Hadassah Ein Kerem. He also holds a full professorship in anaesthesiology and critical care at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Speaking to The AJN, van Heerden described the challenges of managing Hadassah’s intensive care unit during wartime, when resources are placed under severe strain.

“What it means is having to suddenly arrange to receive injured patients to an already full intensive care unit, with little warning. Less acute patients are transferred out to make room for the new patients. All of this has reinforced my appreciation of the work we do in intensive care, caring for the sickest and most vulnerable patients in the most difficult circumstances, often without the recognition that our surgical colleagues receive.

“We don’t do it for the glory, but rather for the reward we get when we see survivors of terrible injury or illness for which we are responsible,” van Heerden said.

On how Hadassah responds when missiles are falling, he said: “As many ambulant patients as possible are discharged and sent home, clinics are postponed and essential services (surgery, intensive care (adults and paediatrics), oncology etc) are moved to protected areas underground. Work in these areas is difficult because of relative crowding, but can continue despite frequent missile warnings.”

The professor reflected on the personal impact on staff, as many are called up for military duty resulting in staff shortages. “Many husbands are in the army, leaving their wives who are nurses coping with work and looking after their kids who are not in school (with schools closed due to the war) – so socially the war has a great impact.”

He said the new Gandel Rehabilitation Centre at Hadassah has played a critical role, treating many war-injured soldiers, with its car park repurposed as an underground hospital when necessary.

When asked for his advice for Australian doctors involved in critical care, van Heerden said, “The progress in patient care and research made by Australian and NZ intensive care is the envy of intensivists around the world and the reason why I have encouraged several of my trainees in intensive care in Israel to apply for fellowships in Australia.

“Australian colleagues may benefit from our experience in Israel in disaster planning and management – unfortunately we have had years to gain experience in this area and have some knowledge to impart.”

Hadassah Australia CEO Dorit Jaffe said, “At the heart of [van Heerden’s] talk was Hadassah’s commitment to treating every patient with equal care, regardless of religion, nationality or background. He recounts of Jewish and Arab doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working side by side, caring for patients from Israel, the surrounding region and beyond.

“Professor van Heerden also highlighted Hadassah’s ability to adapt quickly in times of crisis … his examples showed a hospital system defined by innovation, courage and practical resilience.”