The survey also reveals that doctors are considered among the public as the most reliable professionals.
Computer professionals were perceived as reliable among 12% of the public, followed by lawyers (7%), engineers, businesspeople and managers (5%) politicians, education professionals, accountants and pilots (3%), judges (2%) and economists (only 1%).
Doctors have maintained their status over time as having the most reliable profession, with a clear advantage over any other profession. Only 12% said doctors were unreliable. Politicians are perceived as most unreliable with 88% of respondents doubting their reliability, followed by journalists (66%), lawyers (62%) and judges (59%).
Life saving is the factor most linked to the positive perception of doctors, with 45% of respondents saying it is the superior trait among doctors. The remaining respondents see doctors' positive traits are helping one's fellowman (21%), professionalism (15%), a great amount of knowledge and education (11%).
On the other hand, 28% of respondents see lack of consideration as the most negative factor among doctors. Fifteen percent believe doctors are unprofessional, 15% are convinced doctors are driven by pursuit of money, 6% say doctors are arrogant, and the rest believe they are impatient, unreliable or neglectful.
Respondents were also asked who they blame for the long queues at health maintenance organizations: Thirty-eight percent believe the HMOs are to blame, 15% point a finger at the Health Ministry, 14% at the government and 18% believe doctors themselves are responsible for the long lines.
As for the long queues at emergency rooms, the majority of respondents cast the blame on the government and Health Ministry.
The survey further reveals that about one-fifth of the public were in need of a medication or doctor's reference in recent years and did not receive it (about 21%). The HMOs are blamed for this situation more than anyone else (about 36%).
The majority of the public, about 71%, believe the family doctor is concerned and does personally care about their health, compared to 10% who feel otherwise.
What about the Jewish mother's dream? A little less than half of the public believe that those who chooses to study medicine do so because they wish to save other people, while one-third believe they do so for the profession itself and in order to earn a good living.