Israel’s Digital Health Landscape – Development and Opportunities
Digital health in Israel
Known as the ‘Startup nation’, Israel has positioned itself at the forefront of the high-tech industry, especially in the health tech sector. The innovative ecosystem along with significant investments in the healthcare sector, both from the public and the private sectors, have enabled Israel to develop a substantial foundation for digital health systems in recent years. Globally, the covid-19 pandemic dramatically demonstrated the necessity of agile, ever-developing healthcare solutions; Israel’s healthcare industry made considerable investments to follow suit.
Israel’s vision for digital health is illustrated by the Israeli Ministry of Health’s short and long-term plans to develop and expand the country’s health tech infrastructure. In order to cope with the challenges of the 21st century, while leveraging the innovative health tech ecosystem, the Israeli healthcare system is focusing on promoting sustainable and advanced digital health tools, that will leverage cutting-edge technologies. That in turn will benefit not only the wellbeing of Israelis but of the entire world.
Furthermore, the Government of Israel acknowledges the importance of data-centric projects. Additionally, the structure of the Israeli healthcare system allows access and usage of country-wide data on a level that many other Western countries are not capable of. An example of the opportunities that arise from these advantages can be seen in the Mosaic Project. The Government of Israel has recently launched the project with the objective of removing regulatory and infrastructure barriers hindering collaboration between health data-centric sectors. The genomic clinical database will promote research and development of personalized medicine products. According to its plans, the Ministry of Health forecasts that by 2030, big-data and advanced data analysis tools will be implemented in the therapeutic environment throughout the healthcare chain.
Opportunities in the digital health industry in Israel
The growing digital health sector in Israel presents many opportunities for American developers in several sub-sectors. For example, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital), the largest teaching hospital and the second-largest hospital complex in Israel, has implemented leading digital health solution in its facilities, with the objective to streamline the care and ease patients’ experience. As part of the hospital’s efforts, its team is looking for further advanced solutions.
Additionally, Israel’s largest HMO, Clalit Healthcare Services, has an open call for proposals for tech companies and startups developing products and services that align with Clalit’s goal to provide state-of-the-art service to its patients. These proposals can be from a wide range of sub-sectors, including (but not limited to):
- Remote treatment, remote diagnostics and monitoring and various laboratory services from patients’ homes;
- Tech tools and services in the fields of genetic sequencing and the microbiome, its analysis and genetic-based treatments;
- Technologies that will enable an educated medical attention and intervention, which will help physicians, nurses and other medical professionals, and will contribute to reducing workload of healthcare providers;
- Improving patients experience and ensuring their ability to receive medical services with maximum comfort;
- Accessible online medical services for diverse populations and people living with different life situations and different chronic diseases;
The proposal includes a supporting framework for the appropriate companies; for the development of the concept and technologies of the company and using the knowledge of Clalit’s experts (medicine, nursing, finance, marketing) and the HMO’s database.
For more information on the Israeli healthcare market and opportunities for U.S. companies in Israel, please contact Commercial Specialist Inbar Marom at Inbar.Marom@trade.gov.