COVID-19 and Healthcare Innovation with Eyal Zimlichman

Eyal Zimlichman, Sheba Medical Center’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer, discussed innovations to address the COVID-19 pandemic at the May, 2021 CHDS seminar.

Zimlichman presented the ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, and Collaborate) program implemented at Sheba, which they found to be well-positioned to respond to the pandemic. Prior to 2020, the program built an innovation infrastructure dedicated to leveraging data, industry and international collaborations, and funding sources, which allowed them to develop solutions to health care problems quickly and effectively, especially those focused on digital health.

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, ARC shifted all its resources to addressing the crisis. Innovations were developed and deployed rapidly to redesign the Sheba’s systems to reduce transmission and improve patient care. Examples included the development of a suite of telemedicine tools, including a kit with an iPad and range of AI-enabled medical sensors that could be sent to the homes of COVID-19 patients who would otherwise need hospitalization. Zimlichman also recounted how his team collaborated across industry and government to design and build vital medical devices, such as a rapid COVID test that delivers results in seconds and a new type of ventilator. Zimlichman emphasized how ARC’s rigorous, structured approach to innovation during the initial months of the crisis catalyzed important procedures and products. These creations helped stem the spread of COVID-19 at Sheba and are now being shared with other health systems around the world.

This seminar is part of a monthly online seminar series hosted by CHDS. To be added to the email list for future seminars send a note to chds@hsph.harvard.edu.

Learn more: Read about Dr. Zimlichman and the ARC Center at Sheba Medical Center.
Learn more: Explore CHDS’ COVID-19 Resource and Teaching Packs