Ruth Waitzberg is a research associate at the MJB Smokler Center for Health Policy Research.
Ruth is Israel’s national representative to the World Health Organization’s European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Originally from Brazil, Ruth is proficient in several languages, which she puts to excellent use networking with other health policy professionals at the annual Observatory conferences, where she meets with colleagues to share her experience and gain new insights on pressing policy challenges in Israel. Ruth also provides regular updates to The Health Systems and Policy Monitor on Israel’s health reforms and policy changes, and she authors professional publications, such as Health Systems in Transition, a review that provides a detailed description of the country’s health system and of reform and policy initiatives in progress or under development.
Currently, Ruth is evaluating the impact of changes in the Ministry of Health’s compensation calculations for high-cost procedures performed in hospitals. These changes have directly affected the decision making of physicians. Based on her review, Ruth will assist Ministry professionals in fine-tuning the compensation guidelines based on patient characteristics..
