Israel, recognized for its highly advanced medical systems, continues to attract a growing number of medical tourists with its state-of-the-art facilities and expert care.
The Ministry of Health reports that over 50,000 medical tourists visit Israel annually, with the nation frequently placing in the top ten global rankings for health tourism. At the forefront of this innovation is Raphael Hospital, the latest private healthcare facility opened in Tel Aviv, exemplifying cutting-edge medical technology and top-notch medical care.
Advanced Medical Systems
Raphael Hospital was meticulously designed by a team of international experts to set a new standard in healthcare through the use of advanced technologies. It is staffed by senior doctors renowned for their expertise in various specialties. The hospital’s construction was carefully planned, including features such as antibacterial shields in its flooring, proven to be 99.9% effective against bacteria around the clock in any lighting conditions.
The hospital places significant emphasis on patient wellbeing, both mentally and physically
The hospital places significant emphasis on patient wellbeing, both mentally and physically, by creating an environment that feels luxurious and welcoming. The design combines aesthetic appeal with high-tech elements to ensure patient safety, operational efficiency, and superior medical care.
Addressing Physical Security Risks
Hospitals, similar to shopping malls and sports arenas, are often regarded as “soft targets” due to their high density and multiple access points. This creates security challenges, which have become a focal point for security professionals tasked with devising comprehensive security protocols to protect these vital spaces.
Raphael Hospital leads with technologically advanced operations rooms, equipped for complex procedures using systems like the Mako robotic arm for joint surgeries and the Da Vinci robotic surgical system.
Implementing Touch-Free Environments
Raphael Hospital incorporated facial recognition technology to safeguard patients, staff, and assets
Maintaining a sterile environment in operating rooms is crucial, a challenge intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Raphael Hospital prioritized the integration of advanced access control and video monitoring technologies from inception, using CCTV systems to enhance security measures. Operating Room Manager, Raphael Cohen, noted, “We had a lot of challenges. We wanted to build the most updated hospital.”
To address security and hygiene, Raphael Hospital incorporated facial recognition technology to safeguard patients, staff, and assets. This technology enables face-based access control, crucial for infection control and ensuring that only authorized personnel access restricted areas, like operating rooms. The hands-free and automated access minimizes contamination risk, defining clear movement permissions for staff across specific hospital areas.
Raphael Cohen cited the impact of Oosto’s OnAccess solution, explaining, "Oosto’s OnAccess solution gives the staff, doctors, and nurses a sense of belonging in the hospital... they’re an essential part of the hospital, and when the hospital recognises them, and the doors open - it’s effortless for them to get about."
The use of facial recognition technology enables medical teams to access sensitive areas without contact, avoiding contamination and ensuring the safety of both patients and staff. This frictionless access system bolsters Raphael Hospital’s reputation as a leader in cutting-edge healthcare technology.
Israel offers one of the most advanced medical systems in the world where cutting-edge treatments and patient care are provided by some of the best medical professionals using high-tech equipment in modern facilities. As such, medical tourism is growing exponentially in Israel.
The country’s Ministry of Health shows that more than 50,000 medical tourists travel to Israel for treatments every year and consistently ranks in the Top Ten in the globe for health tourist destinations. Raphael Hospital is Israel’s newest and most advanced hospital. It is a state-of-the-art private hospital recently opened in Tel Aviv.
Advanced medical systems
A team of experts, drawing from best practices around the globe, designed Raphael Hospital to be technologically advanced and to provide a premium standard of care and services. It is staffed by senior doctors who are some of the most experienced in their respective specialties. Everything about its construction, for example, was thoughtfully planned for — even the types of tiles used on the hospital flooring: they come with “an integrated antibacterial shield that is 99.9% effective against bacteria, 24 hours a day, in all light conditions.”
Special emphasis is placed on a patient’s overall wellbeing, mentally and physically, and thus the physical space is designed to appeal to patients from both an aesthetic sense (to promote an inviting, welcoming feel much like a luxury hotel), and a high-tech approach, in order to maintain maximum patient safety, efficiency, and the finest level of medical care.
Physical security risks
Hospitals are among the most essential and vulnerable spaces worldwide. In terms of security, hospitals are often considered “soft targets” — along with shopping malls, schools, and sports arenas — because they are high-density locations with large, vulnerable crowds. Soft targets have many access points, increasing certain physical security risks. Security professionals are thus tasked with “hardening” hospitals as part of a holistic security protocol.
Raphael Hospital’s operating rooms are some of the most technologically advanced in the world; they are specially equipped with advanced medical technologies for surgeries including the Mako robotic arm-assisted technology for joint surgery and the Da Vinci robotic surgical system.
Touch-free environments
Such advanced technologies, and the people operating them, require an extra level of security in order to protect the most sensitive areas of the hospital where delicate surgeries are performed. Moreover, even before the pandemic, maintaining sterilisation in operating rooms was challenging. COVID-19 only heightened the need for touch-free environments to help limit the spread of germs.
The hospital’s advanced access control and video monitoring technologies were incorporated from the very start of its operations, using the hospital’s existing CCTV cameras. According to Raphael Cohen, Operating Room Manager for Raphael Hospital, “We had a lot of challenges. We wanted to build the most updated hospital.”
Facial recognition based technology
Raphael Hospital wanted to incorporate facial recognition based technology for a few reasons, including protecting people, patients, and physical assets. Face-based access control plays an essential role in infection control protocols while keeping highly sensitive areas of the hospital, such as operating rooms, restricted to authorized personnel at all times. Hands-free and automated access allows hospital staff to not be required to touch any buttons to open doors while reducing contamination as much as possible and defining exactly which staff could travel within specific areas of the hospital.
"Oosto’s OnAccess solution gives the staff, doctors, and nurses a sense of belonging in the hospital…they’re an essential part of the hospital, and when the hospital recognises them, and the doors open - it’s effortless for them to get about," said Raphael Cohen, Operating Room Manager, Raphael Hospital.
Facial recognition technology
Now, with Oosto’s facial recognition technology, surgeons and support staff can benefit from gaining frictionless access to the most sensitive areas of the hospital without having to touch any surfaces.
Contamination is avoided, patients and staff are kept safe from unauthorized access to restricted areas of the hospital, and the frictionless, face-based access control in the hospital contributes to the overall perception of Raphael Hospital as a world-pioneer and cutting-edge healthcare provider.
