[1] He has served as the Director General of the Sheba Medical Center for thirty-three years.

[2][3][4] He also helped found the School for Health Policy at Tel Aviv University in 2005, and served as its Head until 2009.

[3][4] He was instrumental in the passing of a national healthcare insurance policy for Israeli citizens.

[2][4] He is also the Founder and Chairman of the Management Committee of the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research.

'[2][3] The prize was met with controversy, as an advocacy group accused Shani of working for a private corporation in Hungary, which he denied.