The inauguration ceremony for Clalit Haifa and Western Galilee District's new Innovation and Research Center was held on Tuesday, 03/06/2025. This is a significant milestone for the district's work, which, after years of leading innovative initiatives from the field, is receiving a dedicated, modern and inspiring home, which will serve as a space for experimentation, developing ideas and transforming challenges into smart medical solutions.
The ceremony was held in the presence of Prof. Ran Blitzer, VP and Head of Clalit's Innovation Division, Director of Haifa and Western Galilee District at Clalit Ronen Nudelman, the district management, Dr. Michael Hauser, Director of the District's Innovation and Research Division, Marina Smolyanov, Innovation Leader, and members of the innovation team from Clalit headquarters.
Prof. Ran Blitzer addressed the national challenges and the district's potential:
"The Israeli healthcare system is currently facing significant challenges, including a shortage of manpower and resources, alongside demographic changes and an increase in the burden of chronic disease. This reality requires us not only to streamline, but to rethink and build innovative models that will enable the provision of optimal service with greater efficiency."
In the Haifa and Western Galilee district, there is a unique opportunity: a true connection between dedicated clinical teams, a rich technological and academic ecosystem, and an organizational culture that encourages exploration, creativity, and initiative.
"The Innovation and Research Center inaugurated here today expresses our belief in the ability of people on the ground to lead change, identify needs, formulate solutions, and create connections with partners from the academic and industrial worlds."
Ronen Nudelman, Director of the Haifa and Western Galilee District at Klalit, welcomed the launch ceremony and said:
"I am very, very excited, it is a dream that has become a reality. We generally believe in innovation as a way of life. In the advanced world of healthcare, those who embrace innovation manage to lead and influence. As the largest and most significant health insurance company in the region, we have a responsibility to be at the forefront. The future is in the community; making more extensive services available in community clinics, in the patient's home, and in a personalized manner. To lead, we need to always be one step ahead of everyone else."
Nudelman emphasized that "the new Innovation and Research Center is intended to serve as an advanced medical ecosystem, connecting clinical knowledge, large-scale data, and smart technology. The center enables experimentation, learning, and implementation of medical solutions in a real environment. The district's human capital, investment in the field, in local initiatives, and in developing an organizational culture that promotes creativity, excellence, and thinking outside the box, are the foundation of the Innovation Center. It also constitutes a regional arm of Clalit's Open Innovation strategy and acts as a connection point between the clinic and entrepreneurs, startups, researchers, and partners from industry and academia."
Dr. Michael Hauser, director of the center, notes:
"The Innovation Center is a bridge between our advanced clinic and the global world of innovation. We strive to cultivate a community of medical innovation ambassadors who will lead change from within, while at the same time joining forces with external partners to bring groundbreaking solutions to our patients."
Marina Naomi Smolyanov, the district's innovation leader, adds:
"The Innovation Center is not just an initiative, it is an infrastructure for the future. It allows us to develop a culture of innovative action from within the teams themselves, while at the same time expanding connections, outward, with entrepreneurs, researchers, and companies to create solutions that truly change lives."
So many words and I didn't bother to mention where it is.
Exactly what I thought. An article without an address? Unbelievable.