Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
My career path truly started to take shape when I began my bachelor’s studies in brain and cognitive sciences and later transitioned to computer science. I fell in love with the precision of math and logic, combined with practical digital applications while studying computer sciences. My father’s battle with melanoma — which he thankfully survived — was the turning point. It made me realize that the most meaningful use of technology is in healthcare, and since then, I have been fully dedicated to digital healthcare, especially AI. After finishing my master’s in computer science, I wrote a book called, “AI for Humans,” and frequently lecture on AI to both expert and general audiences.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
What makes the AI center at Beilinson Hospital’s Innovation Center unique is the seamless integration between our research and development team and the clinicians. This collaboration ensures that each project emerges from the fusion of cutting-edge technology and clinical expertise. A great example of this is when we developed a decision support system for personalized drug recommendations for ulcerative colitis, a condition marked by significant uncertainty in treatment. Since the system was developed closely with clinicians within the hospital, they ensured that the system would be easily used by clinicians and would directly benefit patients and was being developed to smoothly integrate into patient care hopefully in the near future. This close collaboration allowed us to create a tool that is not just technologically advanced but also tailored to meet the real-world needs of healthcare professionals and patients.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
First and foremost, a growth mindset is essential. A problem is a problem only if you think it is a problem. However, we have the choice of how to view it and if you think about it as an opportunity to learn something, then a challenge is an opportunity to learn and that is how I chose to view it.
Second, acting with humility is crucial. I have learned that no matter how much expertise one has, there is always something to learn from others. Working closely with clinicians and other experts, I often find new perspectives that I would not have considered on my own, which have led to better solutions in our AI projects and ultimately for our patients.
Third, understanding my “why” gives me direction and purpose. Our goal is to improve healthcare and ultimately save lives. I love the world of computer science, and combining it with healthcare is the perfect blend for me. This purpose keeps me motivated and reminds me of the importance of our mission.
Let’s now move to the main point of our discussion about AI. Can you explain how AI is disrupting your industry? Is this disruption hurting or helping your bottom line?
AI is fundamentally transforming healthcare, particularly in regions with vast amounts of digital medical information, like Israel. In diagnostics, it is revolutionizing the field by swiftly analyzing medical images to help doctors identify issues more accurately and efficiently. In personalized medicine, AI studies extensive data to predict how individual patients will respond to treatments, leading to more tailored healthcare plans.
AI also significantly impacts drug discovery, reducing the time and cost of finding new drugs. Predictive analytics plays a vital role in spotting patients at risk for certain conditions early on. Virtual health assistants — empowered by AI — offer instant medical advice and support, making healthcare more accessible and increasing patient engagement. Administrative tasks like scheduling, billing, and summarizing patient meetings are becoming automated, which reduces the workload and allows providers to focus more on patient care.
Furthermore, wearables and remote monitoring devices — enhanced by AI — continuously track health metrics for early issue detection and telemedicine support, and let’s not forget another emerging field — AI-enabled robotic surgery. Overall, AI is utilized to streamline processes, improve patient outcomes, and reduce operational costs.
Which specific AI technology has had the most significant impact on your industry?
The intersection of AI technology and healthcare has driven transformative advances in diagnostics, patient care, and research. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have revolutionized medical imaging by enabling automated analysis of X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans to detect anomalies with remarkable accuracy. Transformers, initially designed for natural language processing, have been adapted for biomedical text analysis (and imaging), speeding up literature review and improving clinical decision support. Boosting algorithms, by analyzing Electronic Medical Records, empowers predictive analytics in disease risk assessment. Meanwhile, Large Language Models streamline administrative tasks, enhance chatbot-based patient interactions, and support medical research by synthesizing vast data. In other domains, AI’s video processing capabilities enable real-time surgical video analysis. Time series classification models are widely used in healthcare for patient monitoring. With AI models growing in complexity, explainability is crucial to understanding their decisions, especially in high-stakes fields like healthcare. New tools clarify individual predictions, building trust and compliance.
Can you share a pivotal moment when you recognized the profound impact AI would have on your sector?
A great example is when we created the decision support system for drug recommendations for ulcerative colitis. We strive to make our AI models as transparent as possible, and while this particular model performed well, we noticed that it sometimes relied on features that we had not considered crucial. This made us question whether there was an issue with the model’s development or if the AI had reached a correct conclusion that we had not yet recognized. Although technical strategies exist to address and minimize the chances of error in such cases, this moment made me appreciate the philosophical beauty of AI. It highlighted how AI can sometimes uncover insights that challenge our assumptions, leading to breakthroughs in understanding that we might have otherwise overlooked.
How are you preparing your workforce for the integration of AI, and what skills do you believe will be most valuable in an AI-enhanced future?
The preparation starts with a deep understanding of the clinical aspects behind every AI project. As a team of data scientists in healthcare, we prioritize learning about the medical context of our work to create meaningful and relevant solutions. Beyond that, we are continuously learning about new technologies to stay ahead of the curve. I lead a free “Introduction to AI in Healthcare” course for hospital staff twice a year, ensuring that they understand how AI can enhance patient care. In an AI-enhanced future, the most valuable skills will likely be a combination of domain expertise, technical proficiency in AI, and the ability to adapt quickly to technological advancements.
What ethical considerations does AI introduce into your industry, and how are you tackling these concerns?
The use of AI in healthcare indeed can raise concerns such as privacy, bias, and transparency. AI solutions can reflect inherent biases or those arising from the data collection process, potentially affecting care. The clinical data used for training AI models should always be anonymized, and an external validation of diverse populations can help identify biases. In general, making models as transparent as possible ensures that decisions can be understood and trusted. Clinicians’ involvement in every development stage ensures that ethical considerations align with patient care and real-world applications.
What are your “Five Things You Need To Do, If AI Is Disrupting Your Industry”?
- Be Proactive — Staying informed on the latest AI advancements and regulations is crucial. Addressing bias in AI systems through regular audits and validation with diverse datasets ensures equitable care across all populations.
- Be Transparent — Transparency in AI decision-making is essential, allowing patients and providers to understand and trust the technology.
- Collaborate — Collaboration with clinicians during development ensures that AI tools are ethical and aligned with the practical needs of healthcare professionals.
What are the most common misconceptions about AI within your industry, and how do you address them?
The most common misconceptions about AI in healthcare revolve around its role and capabilities. Many people believe that AI will replace doctors, but it actually serves to assist them by streamlining tasks like diagnostics and data analysis. It is crucial to understand that AI should complement — not replace — clinical judgment There is also a perception that AI is inherently objective, when in reality, biases can enter the system through training data and algorithms, affecting the outcomes. Another misconception is that AI solutions are plug-and-play, but they often need significant validation and customization to fit specific clinical settings.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” This perfectly captures the marvel of the times we live in. With AI now deeply woven into our lives, it is easy to overlook its impact, but when we step back, it is astounding to see how we are teaching machines to help us heal people. I think about this “magic” every day. I encountered this personally when an AI system we developed identified a skin lesion on my arm as potentially dangerous. I sought advice from two dermatologists who both recommended removal, which I did. It is remarkable to consider that this AI intervention may have prevented a serious health risk in the near future.
Off-topic, but I’m curious. As someone steering the ship, what thoughts or concerns often keep you awake at night? How do those thoughts influence your daily decision-making process?
I think about AI’s dual potential in healthcare often, similar to nuclear technology, which can provide clean energy or become a weapon. AI has immense power to transform healthcare for the better, such as enabling drug discovery, for example. But it also has the potential to cause harm if misused, like enhancing the discovery of new dangerous substances. This duality keeps me vigilant in my daily decision-making. I focus on maximizing AI’s positive impact while implementing stringent safeguards to prevent misuse. Working closely with clinical teams, we ensure our innovations prioritize ethical considerations, security, and patient well-being to leverage AI’s vast potential responsibly.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
A movement focused on democratizing access to digital health education and tools. This movement would aim to provide reliable, affordable digital healthcare resources to underserved communities globally. We can empower people to take charge of their health, regardless of their socioeconomic status or location. This initiative could also involve collaborations with governments to expand access to remote diagnostics, virtual healthcare services, and AI-driven health assessments, ultimately reducing healthcare disparities and improving global health outcomes.
How can our readers further follow you online?
To stay updated, you can follow Beilinson Innovation on LinkedIn and Facebook:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/beilinson-innovation
https://www.facebook.com/Beilinson.Innovation
For a deeper insight into our work, check out our paper “Successes and Challenges on Establishing a Center for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in a Tertiary Medical Center,” published in IMAJ:
https://www.ima.org.il/medicineIMAJ/Article.aspx?aId=6421
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!