Artificial Intelligence Set to Revolutionize Israeli Healthcare System

The AI market is set to grow by 26% globally by the end of 2025. The rise of artificial intelligence has disrupted numerous sectors in Israel, including healthcare. Indeed, several companies and startups have developed cutting-edge technologies based on artificial intelligence, enabling better treatment of diseases and more accurate diagnoses to improve patients' health and quality of life. Sheba Hospital, ranked among the top 10 medical centers in the world by the American magazine Newsweek, has notably stood out for its use of medical AI. Israel is leading the way in integrating AI into its healthcare system in the most effective manner, notably through collaboration between researchers, startups, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies.

These various partnerships have advanced research while leveraging the interconnected tool that is AI. To make the best use of AI, Sheba Hospital launched a platform called "Digital Health" which uses AI to monitor patients' conditions in real-time and predict the risk of complications.

Patients benefit not only from faster treatments but also from a more human and precise approach. It’s truly a revolution in modern medicine.

Sheba Medical Center is a pioneer in the digital transformation of healthcare in Israel and worldwide. Sheba's innovation section (ARC) establishes partnerships and close projects with the best hospitals globally and leading international entities.

Sheba

"The main goal is to have an impact on patients' health through AI and then transform healthcare," said Professor Yitshak Kreiss, CEO of Sheba Medical Center. "Together, we will be able to build AI systems from data representing both Sheba’s and Mount Sinai’s diverse patient populations. These technologies will ultimately support doctors, foster research, and most importantly, contribute to patient care and well-being,” he continued.

In 2023, Sheba Medical Center also launched a new accelerated research platform for cancer diagnosis powered by Artificial Intelligence. One of the first AI solutions deployed was developed by Imagene, an emerging leader in precision oncology, incorporating an algorithm to identify actionable biomarkers for lung cancer. The algorithm is directly applied to a digitized image of a conventionally stained pathology slide and can then, within minutes, identify the presence of actionable biomarkers in the tumor, providing crucial diagnostic information.

“We have reached a new milestone in digital pathology with this ability to detect biomarkers via AI. Using deep learning algorithms is changing the world of diagnostics and, in some cases, can significantly reduce the cost and turnaround time of treatment,” said Professor Iris Barshack, Head of the Pathology Institute at Sheba.

Furthermore, at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, a unique project based on AI and human medical expertise has been established. It allows for the rapid detection of strokes, thereby avoiding serious complications for patients.

What Role Does AI Play in Medical Practice?

While the use of medical AI has greatly expanded in recent years across many fields in Israel, one of its most impressive applications is in medical imaging. The company Aidoc has developed an AI platform capable of detecting anomalies in brain scans in just a few seconds. The speed and precision of this technology allow doctors to detect serious conditions, such as strokes, more quickly.

“AI helps us reduce human error, identify potential medical problems that may be difficult to spot with the naked eye, and provide patients with much faster treatment. Our technology is a complement to doctors' work, not a replacement,” said Oren S. Shahar, Chief Scientific Officer at Aidoc.

AI also plays a crucial role in personalized medicine, as it can propose treatments tailored to each patient’s health based on their biometric data.

The startup Zebra Medical Vision, founded by Elad Benjamin, Eyal Gura, and Eyal Toledano, develops AI solutions that analyze large amounts of medical data to recommend personalized treatments. This enables the prediction of certain diseases, such as cancer, before they become symptomatic.

“The massive data generated by genetic tests and medical histories can be difficult to interpret. AI allows us to extract relevant information and personalize care for each individual based on their unique profile. This improves the effectiveness of treatments and the quality of life for patients,” said Elad Benjamin, co-founder of Zebra Medical Vision.

The Limits and Challenges Posed by AI in Medicine

Artificial intelligence in medicine offers immense potential and opens the way for broader treatment possibilities, but it raises several challenges. Ethical concerns about the use of personal data and automated decision-making are limits to its scope. Moreover, the integration of AI applications in healthcare raises socio-cultural issues. AI has indeed sparked many imaginations and misconceptions drawn from science fiction, ranging from the miracle scenario where AI cures any disease, to the catastrophic scenario where humans are enslaved by machines.

Despite these significant challenges, Israel remains a global leader in the development and integration of AI in medicine. Investments in this field continue to flow, with both public and private funding supporting the expansion of digital health technologies.

Israeli advancements in medical AI are not only making diagnoses faster and more accurate, but they are also profoundly transforming the global healthcare landscape. Through these technologies, Israel is not just addressing its own medical challenges, but offering solutions that can benefit millions of people worldwide.

AI offers sustainable solutions by redefining how medicine is practiced and propels Israel to the forefront of medical excellence.

Caroline Haïat