Innovating Under Fire: How ARC Innovation is Reshaping Healthcare, Even Amid Israel’s Ongoing War

Since its founding in 2019, ARC Innovation, the innovation arm of Sheba Medical Center, Israel’s largest hospital, has been making strides in transforming healthcare through the integration of advanced technologies like AI and digital health. Focused on reshaping hospital operations and improving patient care, ARC is building a global network of healthcare innovators, encouraging collaboration between healthcare providers, tech companies, and policymakers.

Earlier this month, Sheba hosted the 2024 ARC Summit, which brought together international leaders in healthcare and technology to discuss innovative approaches to healthcare transformation. Under the leadership of Prof. Eyal Zimlichman, Sheba’s Chief Transformation and Innovation Officer and founder of ARC, the summit featured new partnerships and initiatives aimed at pushing the boundaries of health-tech innovation.

In this Q&A, Prof. Zimlichman offers his perspective on ARC’s mission, its global impact, and how it continues to advance healthcare innovation amid ongoing challenges, including the current war.

How does ARC define its role in shaping the future of global healthcare through innovation?

ARC is a global program rooted in a proven methodology that harnesses innovation and entrepreneurship to drive large-scale transformation in the healthcare sector and drive the economy. We focus on digital health as a primary vehicle for this transformation, while promoting both organic innovation from within provider organizations and open innovation by seeking out best-in-class technologies in the digital health space. In addition, ARC is building a global community of like-minded organizations dedicated to advancing this change, ensuring collaboration and progress in healthcare worldwide.

What is ARC’s approach to fostering collaboration between healthcare providers, tech companies, and policymakers to drive healthcare transformation?

At ARC, we believe that true healthcare transformation can only be achieved through collaboration between organizations that recognize the need for change in the sector. By working with various stakeholders, including healthcare providers, industry, and policymakers, we aim to build a shared vision for the future of healthcare. This vision is then translated into reality through research and development (R&D) and large-scale transformation efforts. Facilitating collaboration is at the core of our approach to creating impactful change.

How has ARC contributed to making Israel a leading hub for health-tech innovation? 

ARC has played a key role in positioning Israel as a global leader in health-tech innovation by fostering extensive R&D collaborations at Sheba Medical Center with numerous industry partners. We are attracting foreign investments into Israel, and a crucial part of this initiative includes the development of a new health-tech zone at Sheba. This zone offers leading health companies from around the world a local presence and enhances their ability to collaborate with us, further solidifying Israel’s reputation as a health-tech powerhouse.

How is ARC integrating AI-driven solutions into patient care and operational efficiency to transform hospital operations? 

ARC is deeply invested in integrating AI-driven solutions across various aspects of patient care and hospital operations to drive transformation. AI is used to enhance clinical decision-making, streamline operational processes, and improve patient outcomes. By implementing AI technologies, we are increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and creating a more personalized healthcare experience for patients. These AI innovations also contribute to optimizing hospital workflows, ensuring a higher level of operational efficiency across healthcare systems.

How has ARC managed to thrive and continue innovating amidst the ongoing war, particularly in terms of supporting the health-tech ecosystem? 

Much like during the pandemic, ARC has been actively addressing the healthcare system’s needs in response to the ongoing war. We have focused on providing innovative solutions in areas such as rehabilitation, trauma care, and mental health. Thanks to ARC’s methodology, we were able to quickly scale up our activities and introduce cutting-edge solutions that have been instrumental in our response efforts. Additionally, we have supported numerous Israeli startups facing challenges during this difficult time, leveraging our global ecosystem to offer them greater access to international markets and resources.

Can you share the significance of the recent exits from ARC portfolio companies and what they represent for ARC’s vision? 

The recent exits of Belkin Vision and Innovalve represent major milestones for ARC, reinforcing the success of our model. These exits not only drive transformation in healthcare through innovative technologies but also contribute to economic growth in a broader sense. The financial success will allow us to continue growing and reinvesting in cutting-edge technologies. Specifically, in line with current trends, Sheba plans to reinvest much of this capital into the further development and implementation of AI solutions in healthcare, propelling us toward even greater innovation.

What major partnerships have been announced at this year’s summit, and how will they further accelerate healthcare innovation? 

A significant aspect of ARC’s mission is building meaningful collaborations, and we use the annual ARC summit as a platform to announce game-changing partnerships. This year, one key partnership focuses on transforming the clinical trials process, making it faster, less expensive, and more equitable through digitization and streamlining. Another notable partnership leverages artificial intelligence to improve patient safety in hospitals by automating the identification of safety events. This not only enhances patient safety but also reduces burnout among clinical teams, highlighting the transformative potential of these collaborations.

What are the next major breakthroughs you anticipate from ARC, and how will they continue to reshape the global healthcare landscape? 

ARC is committed to deepening its investment in artificial intelligence—not only in its development but also in its practical implementation within healthcare organizations. We are working with leading institutions worldwide to create a framework where AI plays a central role in improving healthcare’s effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility on a global scale. Additionally, through our ongoing partnership with Deloitte, we will continue to implement ARC methodologies in leading medical centers worldwide, aiming to reach a critical mass of innovation and healthcare transformation globally.

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