A private occupational doctor is where employees and employers turn when time is pressing: a worker returning after surgery or a long illness who needs a certificate before starting back, a candidate for a position that requires a fitness assessment before hiring, an employee asking to adapt working conditions to a medical condition, or someone who suspects that their health problem is connected to their job. In the Israeli health funds the wait for an occupational physician can stretch to many weeks, and in the meantime the employee is stuck at home without pay or in a workplace that does not suit them. In this article we explain when an occupational doctor is really needed, what makes up the payment for the assessment, how to book, what to bring, how long it takes and which documents you receive at the end.
What an occupational doctor does and how they differ from a family doctor
Occupational medicine is a specialty that deals with the relationship between a person’s health and their work. The occupational doctor does not treat the illness itself but answers one central question: can the employee perform their role safely, for themselves and for those around them, and under what conditions. To do that they need to know both the medical condition and the demands of the job: prolonged standing, lifting, working at heights, driving, night shifts, exposure to noise or chemicals, working with children or with machinery.
The family doctor writes sick notes and knows the patient, but is not authorised to determine fitness for work in the occupational sense, and their notes do not replace an occupational physician’s assessment when one is required by law, by regulation or by the employer. The occupational doctor is also the address for evaluating a work-related illness, meaning a disease caused or worsened by working conditions, and for recommending adjustments in the workplace.
For employees who are new to Israel, the occupational doctor also serves as a translator of sorts between a medical history from abroad and the requirements of an Israeli employer, who may be unfamiliar with foreign documents.
When a private occupational doctor is needed
The common situations that lead to a private visit:
- Returning to work after surgery, an injury, a cardiac event, a long hospital stay or a serious illness, when the employer requires a fitness certificate before the return.
- A pre-employment fitness assessment in roles that demand one: professional drivers, workers at heights, equipment operators, education and care workers, security personnel and others.
- A request for adjustments: an employee with a medical limitation who wants to keep working under adapted conditions, for example without night shifts or without lifting.
- Periodic monitoring for employees exposed to noise, dust, chemicals or radiation, as required by regulation.
- A suspected work-related illness, such as hearing loss, breathing problems, musculoskeletal injuries or skin disease, for evaluation and guidance about entitlements.
- An employee whose health fund has given an appointment weeks away, when neither they nor the employer can wait.
In these situations the private visit shortens the path from days and weeks of uncertainty to an orderly decision that all sides can act on.
What determines what you pay for a fitness-for-work assessment
There is no single tariff, and what you pay depends on several factors. The first is the type of assessment: a simple return-to-work evaluation after a short illness differs from a complex evaluation that involves reviewing a thick medical file, specialist opinions and a detailed job description. The second is accompanying tests: some roles require a hearing test, an eye test, lung function tests or blood tests, and these are charged separately or carried out through the health fund. The third is the document required at the end: a short certificate for the employer differs from a detailed opinion for a committee or an insurer.
Who pays depends on the situation. Assessments that the employer requires by law are usually at the employer’s expense, and many employees arrive with a payment commitment or are reimbursed by their workplace. For a personal request, for example to evaluate a work-related illness or to obtain adjustments, the employee pays, and in some cases a private health insurance policy contributes towards a specialist consultation. It is worth checking this in advance and keeping the receipt.
How to book and what to bring
Booking at the occupational medicine clinic in Modi’in is done directly, without a referral, by phone or through the website. In the call you describe briefly the reason for the visit: return to work, pre-employment assessment, adjustments, or evaluation of a work-related illness. That way the team knows how much time to allocate and which accompanying tests to prepare. Bring to the visit:
- A written job description from the employer, or at least a list of the physical and environmental demands of the work.
- The employer’s form or letter if they requested the assessment, including the questions they want the doctor to answer.
- Hospital discharge summaries, the surgical report, release letters and visit summaries from the treating specialists.
- Up-to-date test results: blood tests, imaging, heart or lung tests if they were done.
- A list of medications, including any that may affect alertness or driving.
- For a work-related illness evaluation: documentation of working conditions, exposures, previous periodic tests and recorded complaints.
Documents from abroad are welcome and useful. An occupational physician can work with discharge summaries and test results in English and most other languages, which saves repeating tests already done.
What happens at the visit and how long it takes
The visit opens with a conversation about the work and the medical condition. The doctor wants to understand what the employee actually does during a working day, not only what the job description says, and what limitations exist today. Then they go through the documents and perform a physical examination focused on the demands of the role: range of motion, strength, balance, vision and hearing, heart and lungs as needed. In some cases an accompanying test is required, and if it can be done on the spot it is done at the same visit.
The visit itself usually lasts between half an hour and an hour. In simple cases the certificate is issued at the end. In complex cases the doctor asks for a test to be completed or a missing document to be supplied, and the final document is produced within a few days. When the question is a work-related illness or long-term fitness, a further visit or a consultation with a specialist in the relevant field is sometimes needed, and this too is arranged in advance.
What you receive at the end
The product of the visit is an official document from an occupational physician containing one of several determinations: fit for the role without limitation; fit with detailed limitations, for example no heavy lifting, no working at heights or no night shifts, for a defined period; partially fit with a recommendation to adapt hours or duties; or not fit for the current role, sometimes with a recommendation for an alternative position. In a work-related illness evaluation you receive an opinion that sets out the connection between the illness and the work and the recommendations, which serves for applications to the relevant bodies.
It is worth knowing that the document is written in language an employer can act on, without disclosing medical details that are not required. The occupational doctor is bound by medical confidentiality, and the employer receives the occupational determination, not the file. For a wider look at how private specialist care works in Israel, see our guide to private specialist consultations for English speakers.
EliteMed is located at the Yishpro Center, Ayala 360 complex, Building B, 5th floor, in Modi’in, and in suitable cases allows you to complete a consultation with a specialist in the relevant field at the same place, an orthopedist, a cardiologist or a pulmonologist, when the occupational doctor needs a complementary opinion. Consultations can be held in English. You can read more in our complete guide to private specialists in Modi’in. The information here is general and does not replace an examination and advice from a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Can my employer require me to see an occupational doctor?
In cases set out in law and regulations, such as roles with exposure to hazards or a return after a long absence, the employer may and sometimes must require it, and usually bears the payment. In other cases the requirement depends on the employment agreement. In any event, the employer receives only the occupational determination and not the medical information.
Is a private occupational doctor as qualified as one at the health fund?
Yes. The qualification is granted by the Ministry of Health and is identical. A certificate from a specialist in occupational medicine is valid before employers and official bodies regardless of the setting in which it was issued. Make sure the doctor is a certified specialist in occupational medicine.
How long does it take to receive the certificate?
In simple cases the certificate is issued at the end of the visit. When accompanying tests or missing documents are needed, the final document is produced within a few days of receiving them. For a work-related illness evaluation or complex cases the process is longer, and this is explained in advance.
What if the doctor determines that I am not fit?
The determination is reasoned and usually accompanied by a recommendation: a further recovery period, adjustments, or an alternative role. You can ask for a repeat assessment once your condition improves, present new documents, or approach another occupational physician for a further opinion. The employee is entitled to a copy of the document and to understand the reasoning.