He is a second-generation physician who prefers to be called by his first name, honoring his father, “the original Dr. Grossmann.”  In his own right, he’s a trailblazer at the nexus of surgical care and innovation. Born in Caracas, Venezuela and carrying forward his family’s medical legacy, he completed his surgical residency in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before establishing his practice in New England, serving as a general, trauma, advanced laparoscopic, and robotic surgeon at Portsmouth Regional Hospital in New Hampshire and Eastern Maine Medical Center.

Rafael is frequently linked to his groundbreaking use of Google Glass during surgery. But to define him by that singular innovation is to miss the deeper force driving his work: an unwavering belief that technology must serve—not supplant—the doctor–patient relationship. In recent interviews and longstanding contributions across digital health platforms, Rafael shares an increasingly urgent message: humility and empathy are not soft skills of the past—they are foundational elements of the future.

Proximity Over Performance
Rafael’s approach to technology is both deliberate and human-centered. He integrates AI, extended reality, and telehealth into care environments with one goal: to foster proximity between healer and patient. Whether bringing loved ones into ICU rooms through virtual tools, using augmented reality to teach medical trainees, or deploying wearables to enhance surgical insight, his purpose is consistent: technology must deepen the human connection.

“If the technology doesn’t enhance the connection between physician and patient,” Dr. Grossmann notes, “it has no role in care.”

That conviction reflects a broader truth in modern medicine: innovation must be guided by intention. The impact of a new tool is not measured by its complexity, but by its capacity to sharpen listening, expand compassion, and build trust. In this view, humility is not an abstract virtue—it is a clinical competency.

Humility as a Clinical Skill
While empathy is increasingly recognized as a measurable component of quality care, humility remains underappreciated. Yet humility—the ability to acknowledge limits, listen fully, and elevate the patient’s needs—may be one of the most critical skills a clinician can develop.

Rafael challenges medical education to do more than train for outcomes; he calls for cultivating presence. In trauma settings and academic halls alike, he models humility not as passivity, but as active, intentional leadership. It takes courage, he says, to be honest with patients—not just about diagnoses, but about uncertainty.

“The best medicine,” he reflects, “comes from presence, not only performance.” In high-tech environments where algorithms analyze and recommend, the clinician’s humility may be the most human—and healing—intervention available.

Empathy, Elevated by Innovation
To Rafael, empathy and innovation are not opposites. When used wisely, technology can extend—not replace—the clinician’s presence. Telemedicine platforms become conduits for comfort. Immersive simulations train for compassion. Data becomes dialogue when interpreted with care.

This mindset is especially important now. Patients today may have unprecedented access to information, yet they often feel unseen. In an age of instant answers, the experience of being truly heard remains rare. Rafael reminds health-sector leaders and policymakers that no system—however advanced—can succeed if it forgets the people it was designed to serve.

Clinicians stand at a crossroads as health delivery accelerates toward predictive analytics and AI-driven decisions. Technology offers an undeniable opportunity: greater access, improved accuracy, and better outcomes. But these advances must be matched by a return to the timeless principles of great medicine—empathy, humility, and presence.

Rafael’s work represents a rare blend of innovation and introspection. His willingness to explore the boundaries of digital medicine is matched by a steadfast insistence that patients remain at the center. The future of care, he contends, won’t be defined by who uses the most sophisticated technology, but by who uses it to deepen human connection.

Rafael is not focused on being remembered for the tools he introduced. He hopes to be known for something quieter: helping patients and clinicians feel seen, heard, and supported.

In an era when health systems are rethinking priorities, medical schools are reassessing competencies, and companies are racing to redefine care delivery, the voices of clinicians like Rafael’s matter more than ever. Humility, after all, is not the opposite of expertise—it is its most authentic expression.

The post “Humility” Is Cutting-Edge Medicine: What a Physician Innovator Teaches Us About Patient-Centered Care appeared first on Medika Life.

Trepidation. That one word describes the uncertain economic climate that grips corporate and investment decision-makers. If we are to believe headlines, wallets have tightened, and investment in digital health and health tech, as a result, has taken a nose dive. That go-to conclusion overly simplifies complex investment strategies in a sector that has shown great resilience year-after-after.

Two-Year Pandemic Funding Spree Fizzles Out

After an extraordinary two-year pandemic funding spree, there are apparent shifts in how investors make economic decisions. In this year of geopolitical turmoil and uncertain financial performance, digital health remains integral to the future of the health economy and in addressing public health pressure points. However, the development stages in which funds are directed, therapeutic categories selected, provider systems that demand transformation, and the regions where innovators establish headquarters are now key investment decision factors.

COVID served as an urgent sector testing ground. But the obsession with COVID must not overshadow the possibilities for continued growth in new areas of medicine and sustainability. As life-saving efforts around patient care and drug development ground to an almost complete halt, technologies that enhanced telemedicine and remote patient monitoring became the “no going back” path to pursue medical practice and innovation. This is just the beginning of the surge in how these technologies will transform human and planetary health.

Also, the human body – our well-being and survival- is biological and ecological.  We are beginning to see first-hand the harsh realities of climate change and these stormy reminders that the planet doesn’t need people; people need the planet. Follow shared urgencies, and you find value investors at the earlier stages seeking equity and influence.  Corporate environment, social and governance (ESG) priorities are becoming new due diligence points for investors as they access technologies and services of significant importance to governments and industries that have pledged commitment to net zero policies.

Tel Aviv Joins the Medika EcoHealth and Health Travelogue

While the digital health sector has grown significantly during the past decade, it must be mobilized to address unmet needs. From $2 billion invested in 2011, that figure morphed 28-fold to $56 billion in 2021. In the shadow of the COVID pandemic, unprecedented investment poured into digital health during this two-year window, accelerating the adoption of AI, AR, remote patient monitoring, telehealth, digital therapeutics, wearables, VR and more. These are all technologies Israeli entrepreneurs have called upon to improve care, track patient needs and reduce costs.

Tel Aviv, Israel – the first spot on our ecohealth and health tech travelogue – is taking the lead globally by combining the talents of biologists and engineers. Among the key people to watch in this market is Levi Shapiro, founder of mHealth Israel – a not-for-profit community of almost 20,000 innovators – from start-ups to established players.  Shapiro is more than the curator for this community. He is Israel’s unofficial ambassador for innovative ideas.

Collaboration is the SynBio Power Ingredient

Among the hottest new areas for investment – just coming onto our radar screen – is synthetic biology or SynBio.  Experts such as Avital Adler, Ph.D., Yuval Dorfan, Lior Nissim, Gita Reinitz, and Tamir Tuller are among the leaders in this growing collaborative movement to unlock solutions to the mega planetary challenges. Pearl Cohen, a leading Tel Aviv-based global law firm representing emerging innovation companies, is hosting SynBio 2023.

While too many headlines cite a significant drop in digital health private equity and venture capital investment, the magnetic pull to “follow the money” is misleading.  More “value” is being infused into the digital health category – monies are entering at earlier stages and targeting specific spots on the global innovation map.  Early in translates into more equity and influence. Follow the money and where the money is headed are linked.

If dollars and Euros are the only indicators of enthusiasm and commitment, it is easy to see why hand-wringing news stories prevail. Look at all the metrics that determine a vibrant sector. Look at the regions where funds are being directed and at what stages to resolve what broad–global – challenges. The cities in the Medika Life “Hot Spot Series” will explore what’s happening and some of the companies that are working to sustain human and planetary health.

Israel is an excellent example of that positive narrative.  From 2021 – the acknowledged boom year of capital infusion into the category – to the supposed global drop in investment – Israeli did not see a noticeable decline in private equity investment.  It continues to be a value-driven market and a testing ground for innovation.  We’re watching several Israeli-headquartered private equity funds, including aMoon, Our Crowd, Start-Up Nation, Welltech Ventures, and others, to see where they will place their bets – our future – in the coming months. They are active and strong.

“Israel is a paradigm-challenging innovation culture. Disrupting a conservative industry such as healthcare requires this kind of mentality of not accepting the way things have been done forever,” reflects Eran Eshed, co-founder and CEO of Fairtility, a cutting-edge company using AI, clinical, high-tech, software development, and business leadership experience to rapidly introduce new technologies and applications to the IVF process.

Among the hot Israeli companies on our Medika Life EcoHealth and Health Tech Hot Spot, radar screen are these six covering decentralized clinical trials, environment and sustainability and patient adherence.  During the week of February 6^th, we will be onsite and meeting with these and other company leaders – hearing about their ideas and plans to improve people’s and the planet’s health and sustainability. 

Six Israeli Health Tech Companies Worth Watching

Next week, we head to Tel Aviv, Israel, and look forward to meeting companies on the leading edge of health innovation.  Here are six companies on our radar screen – we’re planning on meeting more and updating this list.

Belong.Life is a leading global tech provider of high-engagement social and professional care management platforms and patient communities, with more than one million users providing and receiving emotional support, advice, and information from peers and health professionals. Plus, as more patients with serious health concerns seek access to clinical trial options, Belong offers a clinical trial matching service that analyzes all available clinical trials around the globe in real-time, matching patients to trials relevant to their diagnosis and location. The Belong Beating Cancer Together app is used by almost 1 in 10 U.S. cancer patients, and 1 in 5 US-based multiple sclerosis patients are using BelongMS.

BloomX is addressing the challenge of crop pollination and sustainability. Farmers and crop growers rely on insects and honeybees for pollination, which plays an integral role in crop and fruit development and higher crop yields. Due to parasites and habitat loss, the honeybee population is decreasing, leading to a crisis that impacts crop production and food supply. BloomX is an early-stage ag-tech startup that has developed bio-mimicking pollination technology. This AI-based tech solves significant challenges by improving crop productivity and quality over the pollination process and supporting sustainability goals.

Enzymit may have cracked the price and time code for enzyme development and functionality.  Inventing new enzymes for bioproduction, the company is poised to replace outdated, pollution-producing chemical manufacturing with validated green production methods efficiently and cost-effectively. The Enzymit proprietary technology platform uses deep-learning algorithms and high-throughput testing methods to rapidly screen billions of sequence changes for every single experiment. The company can uncover and develop novel proteins for varied applications, such as fine chemical manufacturing, food and beverages, health and nutrition, biodefense and energy.

Sweetch is tackling chronic conditions that consume the health system and providers using the transformational power of AI, behavioral science, and its “Just-in-Time-Adaptive-Intervention” (JITAI) technology. Medication non-compliance results in more than 100,000 preventable deaths and $100 billion in preventable medical costs annually. The company has developed a precision engagement solution for chronic conditions through hyper-personalized communication with individual patients powered by. The Sweetch solution is cost-effective, sustainable and scalable, offering a ready-made solution for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers globally.

UBQ Materials is transforming unrecyclable and organic waste into bio-based thermoplastic using advanced conversion technology. The company diverts unsorted household waste from landfills and incineration, protecting the natural environment and people’s health. Water, soil, and air quality suffer when waste is sent to landfills or incineration. It is well known that there is increased respiratory risk for people residing near incineration plants. Also, there is significant research on microplastics in humans resulting from plastic pollutants in the water supply. UBQ Materials is among the pioneers engaging the health and planet sustainability challenge by focusing on renewable material solutions.

X-trodes has developed the world’s first multimodality dry wearable technology for advanced electrophysiological monitoring and analytics so that people with health concerns can be diagnosed in their home setting. X-trodes technology is a smart skin conforming to inaccessible areas of the body and provides a user-friendly solution to generate data. This new approach monitors EEG (brain activity), EOG (eye movement), EMG (muscle stimulation), and ECG/EKG (cardiac monitoring).  Applications include sleep, fitness, sports, rehab and general health, and specialized monitoring targeted to specific markets.

We hope to feature other companies in this special Health Innovation Hot Spots Tel Aviv Report. We will continue to use the Galen Growth/FINN Partners “Global State of Digital Health” as our guide in highlighting innovation that can improve people’s and the planet’s well-being.

The post COVID Became a MedTech Proving Ground Pointing to Planetary Health Priorities appeared first on Medika Life.

In virtual reality, we’re placing the viewer inside a moment or a story… made possible by sound and visual technology that’s actually tricking the brain into believing it’s somewhere else. — Chris Milk

A walk in a forest (forest bathing therapy), a park, or an open field are all good for your physical and mental health. It is sometimes referred to as the “awe boost” and is related to decreasing the stress hormone cortisol levels.

The forest bathing walks have become so popular not because of their ability to free us from our current environment, but the medical community recommends them. In fact, it is now possible to schedule yourself for a Zoom virtual walk.

These virtual walks increase access to this health benefit to those with disabilities, inability to access a forest, or want to realize the advantages from the comfort of their home or office. You can walk a forest, a seashore or a mountain range and your body will thank you for it.

Instead of watching your computer screen or TV, you may view some walks on a VR platform. One definite new advantage in one manufacturer’s VR sets, not intended for the health-market segment, is adding touch in addition to the sounds and visual effects. This addition is provided by sensors that will mimic the crunch of sand underfoot. For now, the company appears to be sticking with gaming, but new markets await their entry.

The benefits of nature in any format has been shown in pain management, too. In fact, “…a large body of research is documenting the positive impacts of nature on human flourishing — our social, psychological, and emotional life. Over 100 studies have shown that being in nature, living near nature, or even viewing nature in paintings and videos can have positive impacts on our brains, bodies, feelings, thought processes, and social interactions. In particular, viewing nature seems to be inherently rewarding, producing a cascade of position emotions and calming our nervous systems. These, in turn, help us to cultivate greater openness, creativity, connection, generosity, and resilience.”

What You Need to Save the Walks

Once you find a walk you enjoy and want to repeat the experience, you’ll want to save it. A virtual reality headset would be a great piece of computer equipment to have, but the prices are not what I would call reasonable.

Plus, the software is primarily for gaming or selling travel packages. For your use, a small expenditure on a thumb drive (aka flash drive) or any small external drive will do fine.

Not all walks will offer a free download, so check to see if that’s possible. They may have posted it elsewhere for download.

My advice? Buy as much storage space as you can afford because some walks (in terms of MBs) will require a lot of memory. The more MBs, the easier it is to keep all your walks on one drive.

Although the major players in computer accessories make these drives, no-name varieties are available, as well. Cost is a factor here. But there is a caveat. Well-known companies will provide a guarantee, and they will remain in business. The cheaper no-name brands may not ensure a replacement if the drive fails. Yes, these drives can fail.

The external, small drives can be bought in various configurations up to terabytes and, depending on what you want to save, can give you more than gigabytes of space. Never underestimate your need for more storage.

Remember, not all walks may offer the ability to download them from their site. But, if they are on Youtube, there is software to copy it for fair use on your drive.

Free programs are available but watch how they describe them. Another handy program, Snagit, will copy any video (they offer a free trial program) that comes up on your computer, but you don’t need it.

“Download” doesn’t mean free; it only means you can download it. Using any software after a download is another question. They may require that you buy the software you’ve downloaded to keep using it. Most versions of the programs are for either a PC or a Mac. I suggest a Google search for “free Youtube download software.”

A Listing of Walks

Entrepreneurs have noted that the travel business is down, and they have provided an attractive alternative — zoom walks. Whether used with an in-home bike or as you sit or stand, these walks take you to far-flung places you might never visit otherwise. Some use footage shot as a drone scanned the area, but it’s just as relaxing as a video of a walk on terra firma.

I did a quick search on Youtube.com, and it provided several virtual walks in nature, but you can select others.

These are not listed in any specific order, so don’t think the first are the ones I recommend over others.

The 21 Best Free Virtual Field Trips of 2021

12 Virtual Walking Trails Around the World That You Can Experience Right Now

Norway 4K — Scenic Relaxation Film with Calming Music (includes others)

Virtual Walk On The Beach — Sounds Of Sea Waves Breaking Onto Pebble Shore | Treadmill Scenery

Virtual Walk Through a Tropical Forest — 4K Virtual Hike with Nature Sounds

Walking In The Woods — 1 Hour Virtual Walk For Treadmill Workout Scenery — Peaceful Forest Hike

ALL Anguilla Beaches: Best Beaches in The World (4K Drone)

A Quick Review of the Science on Virtual Reality Walks

Virtual reality can be absorbing and relieve stress, but it can also help those with neurologic disorders such as multiple sclerosis. “Despite…limitations, the strengths of this trial include its novelty, its relatively large number of subjects, and its putative promise of providing important information on the effects of
VR training for cognitive-motor rehabilitation in pwMS (people with MS).”

Creating virtual environments provided the individual’s brain and musculature with an opportunity for practice. These benefits from the virtual environment are retained
in the real world, according to this research.

Hospitals, nursing homes, and other support facilities may not provide access to health-promoting natural environments. Studies are now concluding that “…while contact with real-world nature is preferred, VR use can be an alternative in cases when in vivo contact with nature is not possible. There are many possibilities for the use of VR technology in psychiatric and medical care…” Therefore, VR may prove a wise “prescription.”

A large self-report study of 3,000 individuals in Tokyo had impressive results. “Our findings suggest that a regular dose of nature can contribute to the improvement of a wide range of mental health outcomes. With the recent escalation in the prevalence of mental health disorders and the possible negative impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on public mental health, our findings have major implications for policy, suggesting that urban nature has great potential to be used as a ‘nature‐based solution’ for improved public health.” The subjects in the study either visited green spaces or viewed them out a window.

Everyone can utilize the benefits of these virtual visits or walks, especially in times of increased stress. A health pick-me-up is as close as the click of a computer “on” button or our TV remote control.

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