As the healthcare landscape approaches 2025, adapting to new imperatives is not only beneficial but necessary for healthcare providers’ success.
Today, leveraging modern health IT tools is important due to the interplay of advancing technology and changing government policies that affect patient care quality. Health IT has broad bipartisan support, and this process has been enabled and expanded under both Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
But, is your organization equipped to ensure resilience and excellence in 2025?
This article sheds light on the value of embracing innovative IT solutions and which technologies will help you survive and thrive in the future of healthcare.
Prioritize Telehealth
Telehealth is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as healthcare services provided across distance where patients and providers are separated. Video consultations, remote monitoring with wearable devices, and managing chronic conditions with mobile apps are part of this approach.
This enables providers to improve access to affordable, high-quality care and supports universal health coverage. In addition, it solves a practical problem for those located in remote areas and people with disabilities, as the services they require are not limited by geography.
Telehealth adoption accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it demonstrated its worth in delivering care.
Therefore, healthcare providers should consider expanding their telehealth offerings to:
Simplify access to healthcare for people in rural or remote areas
Protect patients and others from contagious illnesses
Provide primary care for various conditions through virtual visits
Offer convenience for those with mobility, time, or transportation limitations
Connect patients with medical specialists
Enhance communication and care coordination among healthcare providers
Provide guidance for self-managing health
Healthcare Mobile Apps Are Essential
The global mobile health market was valued at $71.59 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $268.46 billion by 2034, at a CAGR of 14.13%.
As a result, organizations are increasingly building modern apps and capabilities that enable patients to easily schedule/cancel appointments, view their medical records, and consult professionals without setting foot outside their homes.
Strengthening Cybersecurity
As healthcare goes digital, cybersecurity becomes integral. Regular risk assessments identify vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure.
In addition, you must leverage the right tools for a deep look into patient data and ensure a strong security strategy before you’re able to comply with these regulations.
More pressingly, the healthcare industry is exposed as a prime target for cyberattacks. In the first 2 years of 2022, according to the HHS Office for Civil Rights, 860 data breaches occurred, each involving at least 500 individuals’ protected health information (PHI). 13.8% of these breaches involved ‘Business Associates,’ third-party vendors who have access to patient data.
Nurture a Cyber-Aware Workforce
A strong cybersecurity plan is only as strong as its weakest link, and that’s usually a human.
Regular training for employees on spotting phishing attempts, using secure passwords, and following data handling best practices can significantly reduce breach risks.
KnowBe4 created a robust solution that helps you tackle this challenge: RanSim.
This fast and easy ransomware simulator empowers you to test how well your network security can withstand a potential threat. RanSim executes 24 ransomware attack simulations, plus one cryptomining scenario, to help you identify any vulnerabilities in your workstations—and address them.
Incident Response Plan
Gone are the days when creating a data breach plan is an afterthought—and not a part of an overall reduced risk plan.
Experiencing a breach is always a possibility, despite best efforts.
That’s why It’s important to establish a detailed incident response plan. By doing so, you will:
Ensure that responses are quick and effective
Mitigate damage and preserve patient’s trust
And improve your bottom line
Smarter Analytics Drive Healthier Results
The power of data analytics is revolutionizing the healthcare industry, delivering providers with powerful tools to improve patient care, increase efficiency, and predict what the future might hold.
As the amount of data generated from electronic health records (EHRs), wearable devices, and other health technologies increases, healthcare providers have never had greater access to actionable insights.
Tracking Patient Outcomes
Monitoring and tracking patient outcomes deliver a clearer picture of where care can be improved by analyzing critical metrics like readmission rates, length of hospital stays, and patient satisfaction scores.
For instance, if readmission rates for a specific condition spike, this may indicate gaps in post-discharge care, prompting interventions such as improved patient education or better follow-up care.
The feedback loop also allows providers to continuously monitor outcomes, understand what works, and adjust what doesn’t. This ongoing evaluation leads to evidence-based practices that improve overall care, reduce costs, and align with value-based care models.
Predictive Analytics
Examine patterns in a patient’s health data—such as past hospital visits, lab results, and social determinants of health—and predict who is at higher risk of conditions like heart disease or diabetes, and intervene early with preventive measures before the condition worsens.
Moreover, when predictive analytics is applied to the population level, it allows healthcare systems to project, for example, seasonal outbreaks of illness and demand for a certain type of care. These proactive patient risk management and resource allocation lead to more personalized, preventive care, that ultimately improves overall health outcomes and fewer complications.
The Force to Operationalize Innovation
In 2023, the size of the global corporate wellness market was $62.38 billion—and it is forecasted that the market will grow to $102.56 billion by 2032.
Naturally, investing in staff training and well-being will surely empower your workforce to deliver high-quality care.
Consider creating an ongoing staff education program to keep your staff updated with new innovations so that staff patients are receiving the best possible care—and staff are more confident and satisfied in their jobs. Wellness programs like stress management workshops and fitness challenges can minimize burnout, increase morale, and shape an engaged, productive workforce.
Wellsteps created a comprehensive guide on starting a wellness program in 2024, and they recommend contemplating the following questions before embarking on your mission to delight workers:
Why do you want to start a wellness program?
How will you know if your wellness efforts are successful?
What is the nature of your workforce?
Who will be offered your program?
Do you have strong leadership support to take on this endeavor?
Do you want to go it alone or use professionals? (each approach has its pros and cons)
Do you have a budget to start a wellness program?
Do you want wellness to be a company perk or a benefit?
Are you willing to change your worksite culture?
Can you live with the consequences if you don’t begin an employee wellness program?
Conclusion
As the healthcare industry evolves, providers must proactively adapt to remain competitive and effective.
By embracing digital transformation, prioritizing cybersecurity, utilizing data analytics, enhancing patient experience, and investing in staff well-being, healthcare providers can position themselves for success in 2025 and beyond.
Kickstart your initiatives for a healthier, safer, and more innovative future in care delivery.
