ABSTRACT
Israel initiated postgraduate residency training for family medicine (FM) in 1969 and therefore became one of the first seven countries accepted for membership in the World Organization of Family Doctors. Research in primary care (PC) in Israel developed alongside the growth of FM as an academic discipline. PC research conducted by the departments of FM in the country, and the topics it encompasses, is diverse. Research funding in PC comes from varied sources. The Israel Association of Family Physicians, home to more than 2000 members, encourages and supports research by allocating annual grants to the finest research proposals. Healthcare in the community is delivered by four health maintenance organisations, with Clalit Health Services, the largest one, providing coverage for more than half of the population. Future research should address problems encountered in PC and improve healthcare. Research on multi-morbidity: how the Israeli healthcare system should deal with the growing demands of the elderly population with multiple morbidity.
