CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS OIS@ISRAEL 2020 COVERAGE
First Time’s A Charm
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hile we would certainly prefer to be indulging in the world’s best hummus and shakshuka in Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus cafes after a day’s work covering Israel’s Ophthalmology Innovation Summit (OIS@Israel 2020), the pandemic, unfortunately, had other plans. But Israel didn’t let COVID-19 get in the way of successfully delivering its first OIS meeting. And so, on July 18, OIS held its first-ever international meeting in Israel — virtually! Israel is characterized as being quick to adopt the latest technology and was one of the first countries to lock down in response to coronavirus. Restrictions have now been lifted in the country, which has only experienced 303 fatalities.
Israel Successfully Delivers First OIS Online by Andrew Sweeney
ophthalmological conditions ranging from eye microsurgery to strabismus treatment. Characterized by rapidity in utilizing the latest technology to cure and treat eye conditions, Israel’s ophthalmology industry is a world leader.
A time for everything, even online The OIS Israel 2020 was originally scheduled to be held in Tel Aviv, Israel’s economic heart. According to the conference’s organizers, the country was chosen due to its strategic location, record of technological innovation, and attractiveness to venture capitalists.
The startup nation is one of the world’s leading destinations for medical tourism and the country is at the forefront of medical research and innovation. Medical facilities in the country offer cutting-edge treatment for a variety of
The summit was originally conceived by Dr. Emmett T. Cunningham Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, of Blackstone Life Sciences, a multinational business investment group. OIS has held events in the United States for a number of years and 2020 was due to be the event’s
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inaugural event in Israel. Coronavirus obviously waylaid that plan — and while a “real life” meeting would naturally be preferable, Dr. Cunnigham and his fellow organizers acquitted themselves well. The online summit was structured as a two-hour webinar with an additional hour for networking. The first segment, OIS@Israel Company Showcase, served to highlight local Israeli companies working in ophthalmology. The second segment, Industry Insights and Innovating Internationally, examined the ophthalmology industry more broadly.
Israel proves it is a leader in AI A number of leading ophthalmology and medical companies from Israel presented during the first segment of the conference. While all of the presenters worked in various fields within the ophthalmological industry, all were similarly characterized by a
