Dr. Jacob (Koby) Assaf, head of Emergency Medicine at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, was at a family Bar Mitzvah in a Jerusalem hotel when suddenly a 60-year-old man collapsed right next to him.

“I was able to immediately identify that it was a heart-related issue and that he was about to lose consciousness,” recalls Dr. Assaf. “I began treating him and called Magen David Adom (MADA) to send an ambulance to transfer him to my Emergency Room.”  

Complicating matters, however, was the fact that the guest, after being given preliminary treatment in the ER, decided that he did not want to be admitted to a hospital ward. “Surprisingly,” relates Dr. Assaf, “the guest decided to return to the party, as he apparently felt better.”

Dr. Assaf continues: “Unfortunately, that didn’t last for long, as he collapsed a second time. This time, however, his situation was more complex. As a result, we needed a mobile intensive care unit (MICU) ambulance to bring him once again to Hadassah Ein Kerem. I personally accompanied the guest in the ambulance. Following his initial tests in the ER, he was admitted to the cardiology department, where he was cared for by the dedicated, professional, and caring staff. After a few days, he was discharged for home.”

Thinking back on his rare ambulance ride, Dr. Assaf notes: “I generally don’t find myself in the back of an ambulance. My patients arrive at the ER after receiving first aid from the MADA paramedics. I was happy to witness first-hand the incredibly professional and personal care given by the MADA medical team. I have no doubt that their care helped stabilize the patient well before his arrival at Hadassah’s ER.”