Leadership for Change: FOH & Sheba Building Health Systems, Together
September 4, 2025 |
The Future of Health (FOH) and Sheba Medical Center illustrate how “Leadership For Change,” one of FOH’s key research topics for 2025, offers a compelling model of how visionary leadership can catalyze systemic transformation in global healthcare.
FOH provides a platform for senior health leaders worldwide to collaborate on transformation, even in the shadow of conflict, while Sheba demonstrates how that vision is applied in practice. Through the voices of Prof. Yitshak Kreiss and Prof. Eyal Zimlichman, Sheba highlights the urgency of moving from transactional care to prevention and wellbeing, proving that “Leadership For Change” is not an abstract idea but a necessary force for resilience, innovation, and improved patient outcomes.
FOH: A Global Community for Healthcare Transformation
Healthcare today is defined not only by rapid technological advances but also by profound challenges that demand new ways of thinking and acting. Conflict, global crises, aging populations, and rising costs are reshaping what patients need and how health systems must respond. At the center of this transformation stands a new kind of leadership: “Leadership For Change,” one of Future of Health’s (FOH) current research priorities. FOH defines this credo as “an exploration of leadership’s pivotal role in transformative healthcare change management.” It is here that this vision of the FOH collective and the innovation of Sheba Medical Center converge. FOH describes itself as a proactive community of senior leaders from leading health organizations around the world. Its mission is to bring together those responsible for guiding the direction of healthcare globally, building not only dialogue but collective action. “Leadership For Change” is not an abstract slogan, but a call to action that leaders must be willing to design, implement, and scale; solutions that address the urgent realities facing health systems worldwide.
Sheba Medical Center: A Living Example of Leadership for Change
Sheba Medical Center in Israel has become one of FOH’s most visible examples of this philosophy in action. At a time when conflict and instability threaten to paralyze progress, Sheba continues to demonstrate that leadership requires courage and clarity of purpose. Co-Founder of FOH, Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, and also, the Director General of Sheba Medical Center, expressed this commitment clearly: “Only through a shared vision of the Future of Health will we be able to drive the much-needed transformation. By bringing together senior health leaders from around the world, FOH intends to achieve that common vision.” His words reflect not only Sheba’s alignment with FOH’s global mission, but also its determination to act as a living model of resilience and innovation. That vision is echoed by Co-Chairman of FOH, Prof. Eyal Zimlichman, who is also Deputy Director General and Chief Transformation Officer at Sheba. He emphasizes that healthcare cannot be limited to treating illness after it occurs. “As we look into the Future of Health, we realize without a doubt that the transformation will require for Health to grow in scope. From transactional care to well-being and prevention. Which, as we know, is much more challenging.” This recognition that prevention, wellness, and holistic care are harder to deliver, but essential for the future, illustrates the type of leadership FOH seeks to cultivate among its members.From Vision to Action: Why Leadership for Change Matters
The connection between FOH’s platform and Sheba’s example becomes especially powerful in the context of global instability. FOH’s article, “Collaborating in the Shadow of Conflict: Building the Future of Healthcare” describes how health leaders continue to come together despite geopolitical crises, united by the belief that health systems can be a bridge even when some politics divide. Sheba embodies this principle. As Israel’s largest medical center and one of Newsweek’s Top Ten World’s Best Hospitals, it operates as both a national resource and an international hub, treating patients, conducting research, and driving innovation even under the pressure of conflict. “Leadership For Change” in healthcare means building coalitions, sharing knowledge, and ensuring that progress in one country benefits patients everywhere. FOH provides the framework for these collaborations, while Sheba provides proof that even under the most difficult circumstances, leadership can drive transformation. The hospital’s role in FOH is not symbolic; it is practical, as Sheba’s leaders contribute research, policy insights, and lived experience from operating a health system under strain.Leaders of Today Determining The Future
Looking forward, the trajectory of healthcare will not be determined solely by scientific breakthroughs or technological advancement, but by those with the vision and resolve to lead through complexity. It will belong to those who dare to act decisively amid uncertainty, who prioritize cross-border collaboration, and who embrace transformation as a long-term imperative, not a fleeting trend. The partnership between FOH and Sheba Medical Center exemplifies this ethos. Here, “Leadership For Change” is not an abstract aspiration, it is a strategic necessity, driving the emergence of more resilient, equal, and forward-looking healthcare systems for populations around the globe.More Posts
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