New leadership in orthopedics

Hillel Yaffe Medical Center warmly welcomes the three new appointments to the hospital's Orthopedics B Department.

The first, Dr. Nurit Shadmi - a senior physician in the department, who was recently appointed to the position of Deputy Department Director. Dr. Shadmi is a graduate of the Technion's Faculty of Medicine in Haifa, who did her residency in orthopedic surgery at Emek Hospital and then did a fellowship at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, USA, where she trained in pediatric orthopedics, correction of deformities and limb lengthening. She later did another fellowship in orthopedic trauma in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Dr. Shadmi has worked as a senior physician for orthopedic trauma in the Orthopedics B Department at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center since 2012, and as previously mentioned was recently appointed to the position of Deputy Department Director. In 2010, Dr. Shadmi also participated as a physician in a rescue delegation sent by IsraAID to Haiti following the strong earthquake that devastated the country.

The second appointment is that of Dr. Gil Laufer, an experienced and respected physician who had served as Deputy Director of Orthopedics B, and has now been appointed as Director of the Shoulder Service - a new unit at the hospital. Dr. Laufer is also a graduate of the Technion's Faculty of Medicine in Haifa. He performed his residency in orthopedics at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, and then did a fellowship in the UK, in the Shoulder Service at Nottingham City Hospital and at Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham, England. In 2009, he was appointed as Deputy Department Director, a position he held until his current appointment.

The third appointment is that of a new physician at Hillel Yaffe - Dr. Eyal Barbalak, who was appointed as Back Unit Director, a new position at the hospital. Up until now, Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Yoram Folman, Department Director, who retired several months ago, was in charge of backs.  Dr. Barbalak is a graduate of the Semmelweis University Faculty of Medicine in Budapest, Hungary. He performed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, where he went on to serve as a senior physician in the Spine Unit. Later, Dr. Barbalak did a fellowship in spinal surgery at the Centre for Spinal Studies and Surgery in Nottingham, England. He continued to serve as a senior physician specializing in the spine at Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham, England. Dr. Barbalak is currently completing yet another doctorate at the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Nottingham. Dr. Barbalak was recognized by the IDF Southern Command for the medical treatment he provided to the victims of the terror attack on the Israel-Egypt border on August 18, 2011. The attack claimed the lives of six civilians and two soldiers. Dr. Barbalak was in the area, and when he heard about the attack, he proactively rushed to the scene to help treat the victims.

Dr. Nimrod Ron, Orthopedics B Department Director, stated that he welcomes the changes, appointments and new positions in the department and that the entire staff will continue to provide the general public with professional and quality service, as it has done to date.