Israel’s largest hospital plans to nearly double its bed c

A sweeping development plan for Sheba Medical Center cleared a major planning hurdle Monday, advancing a project that would nearly double the number of hospital beds at Israel’s largest medical center and transform the enclosed campus into an open urban district connected to parks, a metro station and light rail. The National Infrastructure Planning Committee agreed to move the plan forward for public review, marking a significant step for one of the most ambitious health infrastructure projects proposed in Israel. Under the plan, Sheba’s projected capacity would rise from 1,860 beds to 3,303 by 2045. The expansion would also significantly increase space for hospitalization, research, teaching and medical services as the hospital prepares for population growth across the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The plan includes two additional rooftop helipads, a regulated ground-level landing site, new parks and public spaces, extensive landscaping, solar panels and a direct pedestrian connection between future metro and light rail stations. It would also remove the need for perimeter fencing around the campus, allowing pedestrians to move freely between the hospital and nearby neighborhoods in Ramat Gan. The development is intended to turn Sheba into what hospital officials describe as a “health city of the future,” combining clinical care, medical research, teaching, transportation and urban public space within a single district. Sheba is Israel’s largest government hospital and is widely regarded as one of the country’s leading centers for medical treatment and research. The proposal is designed to meet the needs of the health system through 2045, amid rapid population growth, the planned evacuation of the nearby Tel Hashomer military base and accelerated urban development in eastern Ramat Gan. The project was formally promoted after the health minister, in consultation with the interior minister, designated Sheba in November 2023 as a nationally important infrastructure project. That status allows the proposal to move through the National Infrastructure Planning Committee, which handles large-scale projects considered strategically important to the country. Opening the hospital to the city One of the most significant elements of the plan is the proposed removal of the hospital’s perimeter barriers. Unlike many medical centers that function as closed compounds, the redesigned Sheba campus would become part of the surrounding urban fabric. A network of pedestrian routes would connect hospital buildings with adjacent neighborhoods, public transportation and new open spaces. The plan calls for parks, gardens, public plazas, additional trees and extensive landscape development throughout the campus. Solar panels would also be incorporated into the project as part of a broader effort to promote sustainable construction and reduce the environmental impact of the expanded medical center. Planning officials said the open-campus model reflects a broader international approach in which hospitals are treated as integrated parts of cities rather than isolated medical compounds. Nava Alinsky Radai, a planner with the National Infrastructure Planning Committee, said the proposal would create a more accessible and connected medical center. “The plan adopts the advanced planning approach used around the world, according to which hospitals are an integral part of the urban space and not closed compounds,” she said. “It opens the Sheba campus to the city through high-quality public space, improves pedestrian access and connects the hospital to mass transit systems, including the metro and light rail.” Metro and light rail access The transportation component is a central part of the project. The plan includes the future M3 metro station, which is expected to be built within the hospital campus, as well as the nearby Purple Line light rail station to the west. A pedestrian route of about 600 meters would connect the two systems, giving patients, employees and visitors direct access between the metro, light rail and hospital buildings. The project is intended to reduce dependence on private vehicles while improving access to one of the busiest medical centers in Israel. The hospital currently serves patients from across the country, while also employing thousands of doctors, nurses, researchers and support staff. Its expansion is expected to further increase daily traffic into the area. By integrating mass transit into the campus itself, planners hope to ease congestion and make the medical center more accessible to people who do not drive. Two new rooftop helipads The plan also includes major changes to Sheba’s emergency medicine infrastructure. The existing ground-level helipad would be formally regulated, while two additional landing pads would be constructed on the roofs of hospital buildings. The new helipads are intended to improve the hospital’s ability to receive patients evacuated by air during emergencies, mass-casualty incidents, military operations and other urgent situations. Sheba plays a central role in Israel’s emergency medical system and has treated large numbers of wounded soldiers and civilians during wars and national crises. The expansion would allow emergency teams to transfer patients more quickly from helicopters to trauma units and operating rooms. The plan also calls for the preservation of buildings on the campus considered to have historical value. Preparing for future demand Benny Arviv, deputy chairman of the National Planning Headquarters and acting chairman of the infrastructure committee, described the project as a critical national investment. “This is an important national plan that will ensure the continued development of Sheba Medical Center as a leading medical institution in Israel and worldwide,” he said. “The plan will provide a response to the health system’s needs in the coming decades, improve medical services and create an advanced, accessible and innovative medical center for all Israeli citizens.” The increase to 3,303 beds would represent one of the largest expansions of hospital capacity in Israel. The country’s hospitals have long faced pressure from population growth, overcrowding and shortages of beds and medical staff. Sheba’s expansion is intended to provide additional capacity not only for Ramat Gan and the Tel Aviv region, but for patients referred from across Israel. The project would also expand facilities dedicated to scientific research, medical innovation and training. Hospital officials say the additional space would support collaboration between doctors, researchers, universities, startups and international partners. The plan places particular emphasis on what officials describe as a patient-centered healing environment, including improved accessibility, more open space and better connections between treatment areas and public facilities. ‘Health city of the future’ Yehuda Katorza, Sheba’s deputy director general for human experience, logistics and operations, said the plan would strengthen the hospital’s role as a central pillar of Israel’s health system. “The new plan is an enormous growth engine that will allow us to continue realizing the vision of a ‘health city of the future,’” he said. “We are proud to lead an unprecedented wave of construction and development that not only upgrades medical infrastructure but creates an entire microcosm developing in full synergy with its surroundings.” He said the project would make Sheba “an integral, living and breathing part of the entire region.” Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen said the proposal was both a medical and urban development project. “Sheba Medical Center’s development plan is not only a significant step for Israel’s health system, but also an urban event of enormous importance,” he said. The project, he added, supports the city’s broader plan for eastern Ramat Gan through improved transportation, expanded public space and the creation of a more advanced urban environment. “Sheba is a national asset,” Shama-Hacohen said. “The plan will strengthen its status as a global medical leader while also serving the residents of Ramat Gan, the entire metropolitan area and all Israeli citizens.” The proposal will now be opened for public comments and objections before returning for further review and approval. The project was designed by HQ Architects. Although the full transformation is expected to unfold gradually through 2045, planners say the plan creates the framework for Sheba’s next phase of growth. If completed as envisioned, the hospital would become substantially larger, more accessible and more closely integrated with the city around it, combining a major medical campus with transportation hubs, emergency infrastructure and public green space.