Israel’s healthcare system is internationally unique. Basic healthcare is a fundamental right. Since 1995, all residents have been required to join one of four official, not-for-profit, health insurance funds known as Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). Patients’ medical and treatment data is stored on databases shared between hospitals and HMOs. These detailed, long-term records have created an invaluable primary resource for today’s leading-edge biomedical researchers and computational technologists. In 2014 Israel was ranked seventh out of 51 countries in healthcare efficiency. Many of the research projects approved by IPMP are likely to interact with existing national initiatives in medical research, such as the Israeli Biorepository Network for Research (MIDGAM); the PSEIFAS national project in the field of digital health, which focuses on creating genomic sequencing infrastructures; and the TIMNA initiative – the Big Data Research Infrastructure that will store the Ministry of Health’s extensive medical records.