The Future is Here: A Series of Innovation Events at Hillel Yaffe

The month began with the hospital’s annual Research Day, showcasing the products developed over the past year. A series of content days was dedicated to transforming clinical ideas into reality. At a special symposium on the transition from concept to patent, staff learned about intellectual property protection and turning departmental needs into applied products, and were introduced to the success story of entrepreneur and investor Tom Levana. Later in the month, in collaboration with the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), dozens of participants delved into the world of extended reality (XR) and experienced simulations of advanced surgical procedures and artificial intelligence tools designed to streamline daily work in departments. 

Another session featured Uri Cohen, CEO of PhenoAI, who presented the HPP project, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Weizmann Institute, to establish a unique medical database for very early disease detection. Subsequently, members of the Hila program for medical leadership and excellence led roundtable activities, where daily challenges in departments were discussed and interesting ideas were developed. 

Dr. Sharon Rashi-Elkeles, Director of the Innovation Division at Hillel Yaffe, at Innovation Month events

The month concluded with a session on the connection between medicine, academia and industry, with participation from the Deputy CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, Zachi Schnarch. Participants discussed fascinating topics, including the use of social robots in health care settings and incorporating gender perspectives in medical research, led by experts in the field. 

Dr. Sharon Rashi-Elkeles, Director of the Innovation Division at Hillel Yaffe, noted that the goal was to raise awareness of the importance of work in this field while providing relevant tools to staff members. According to her, "It was important to us to present the tremendous potential inherent in the connection between clinical practice and technology. Our vision is for Hillel Yaffe to be not only a leading medical center, but a beacon of innovation, where every medical challenge meets a technological solution born here, in the field, for our patients." 

Dr. Dikla Dahan-Shriki, Deputy Director General of the Medical Center, summed up the month's events, "Innovation Month reflected our philosophy, which sees innovation and advanced technologies as an engine for improving quality of care and strengthening the connection between medical knowledge and people. I see innovation as essential to advancing quality of care at the hospital."