Top Dealmakers visit Rambam Hospital

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more than 30 senior executives from around the world met at Rambam Health Care Campus on February 19, 2012 as part of the annual two-day meeting,of the Israel Dealmakers Summit .

During the event, participants discuss innovation in areas including clean technology, digital media, healthcare, Internet, life sciences, medical devices, semiconductors, and telecommunications.
Creating opportunities for networking, partnership and deal-making, the summit is organized by Landmark Ventures, a leading strategic and financial advisory firm offering venture development and global investment banking services.
Greeting the business leaders, Rambam's Director, Prof Rafi Beyar spoke on RHCC's vision and achievements. He began with Rambam's history, tracing it from the hospital's inception in 1938, through its major achievements, and on to its current mega-construction project.

Prof Beyar pointed to the unique advantage Rambam derives from its close ties with academia and industry. "We draw strength from our partnership with the Technion's Faculty of Medicine and its 21 engineering departments, the Rappaport Institute of Research and Haifa University's schools of public health and nursing," he said. Prof Beyar commented on the hospital's location in the high-tech Haifa environment, where physicians and scientists have together spawned new products and techniques in cardiology, imaging, robotics and other fields.

Head of the Clinical Research Institute at Rambam (CRIR) Prof Michael Aviram spoke on the physician-scientist model of the CRIR. First speaking of his own research on natural anti-oxidant agents, Prof Aviram went on to describe the "uniqueness of CRIR as a patient health-oriented research institute staffed by some of the most talented scientists in the world." Based on centers of excellence for cardiology, diabetes and metabolism, oncology, clinical neuroscience and genomic medicine, CRIR "is distinguished by its level of excellence, multidisciplinary nature and non-border approach," said Prof Aviram.
Prof Ora Israel, RHCC's director of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT Department detailed the 15-year Rambam-GE collaboration, which has yielded ground-breaking imaging tools. Working together on medical, technological and clinical applications in PET/CT technology development, Rambam and GE were the first to combine these two modalities on a single device. This 'hybrid' imagining technology, said Prof Israel, "fulfilled a previously unmet need for more precise diagnosis that changes treatment."
"We began with oncology patients," said Prof Israel, adding the new technology did indeed allow for better diagnosis, which altered care in one to seven patients with cancer, a large number. "We are now seeking uses for this technology with other types of patients, and are looking at personalized treatment."
Prof Beyar introduced the event's Guest of Honor, Mr. Eitan Wertheimer, as "a great friend of Rambam." Mr. Wertheimer, chairman of both Iscar Ltd. and Rambam's Board of Trustees, spoke on the interrelationship of philanthropy with entrepreneurship. "Here we are building a machine that will help sick people and will donate a lot of money to itself in future years", said Mr Wertheimer. "Rambam is uniquely combined with the Technion. The target is to convert the ideas of Rambam and the Technion to businesses and to export dollars."
"I am enjoying the Rambam story," continued Mr. Wertheimer. "I want to plant trees that will provide shade for others, I've sat in enough shade," continued Mr. Wertheimer. "Besides, Israel is an amazing place to make innovative products. In terms of brains and creativity, the sky's the limit here."
Prof Beyar then led the group on a tour of the Emergency Department, where Director, Dr Shlomi Israelit described how the unit receives 300 patients visits daily, nearly a third of all patients admitted every day. Dr Israelit also spoke on the department's -- and Rambam's -- fully computerized, 'paperless' operation. "Without complete computerization, there would be chaos. The system allows for proper care and saves time, "added Dr Israelit, "and time is not money, time is life."

The group rounded off its visit with an overview of current construction, given by Mr. Arie Berkovitz, head of the Engineering Department. Overlooking the huge site, they learned how it will eventually house new children's, oncology, cardiology hospitals, a research tower, and a 1,500 car parking lot, which in an emergency, can be transformed in the world's largest underground hospital.