10 healthcare technology trends for 2025

With staff stretched thin, healthcare leaders are turning to automation to reduce the burden on healthcare professionals. The 2024 Philips Future Health Index report showed that 92% of surveyed healthcare leaders think automation is critical for addressing staff shortages by relieving them of repetitive tasks and processes. An equal percentage believe it will save healthcare professionals time by reducing administrative work, allowing them to spend more time with patients.

Generative AI has emerged as a powerful tool supporting this healthcare technology trend, promising to boost clinician productivity in ways that seemed impossible just a few years ago. It’s no wonder that 85% of healthcare leaders worldwide are already investing or plan to invest in generative AI within the next three years. We expect this trend to accelerate in 2025 as the sector continues to explore ways of gaining workflow efficiencies with generative AI.

While AI can significantly streamline administrative tasks and improve patient engagement, its role in healthcare extends beyond automation. AI can also elevate the skills of healthcare professionals. With experienced staff in short supply in many healthcare systems around the world, AI can help simplify complex diagnostics, enabling less experienced professionals to provide high-quality care with confidence.

For example, recent advances in AI have made cardiac CT easier to use, making it accessible to more facilities to increase capacity and deliver better cardiac care to more people. In addition, less experienced technicians can rely on remote consultations and expert training for virtual support and reassurance. Similarly, embedding AI in ultrasound systems allows physicians to detect, diagnose and monitor cardiac conditions more confidently and efficiently.

A silent revolution in surgery is marching ahead as minimally invasive procedures continue to replace traditional open surgeries. These minimally invasive procedures are transforming how providers treat cardiovascular conditions, offering patients faster recovery, reduced pain and fewer complications.

With the introduction of new technologies in interventional care, minimally invasive procedures have become more advanced – but also increasingly complex. Physicians need to collect and analyze data from a wide range of sources, such as live 2D X-ray images, 3D ultrasound, Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS), and FFR or iFR physiological flow measurements, all while closely monitoring the patient. That’s why integration of systems, software and devices has become increasingly important. This integration allows interventional physicians to treat patients with greater control and confidence during every stage of minimally invasive cardiac procedures.

In critical care, time is crucial – yet always in short supply. Healthcare professionals often lose valuable time pulling patient data together from disparate sources. An open ecosystem approach to patient monitoring can help overcome this challenge by allowing data to flow freely across healthcare technology from different vendors. This creates a unified, standardized patient view that is accessible from anywhere in the hospital.

In 2025, expect further advances in patient monitoring based on this open ecosystem approach to healthcare technology. Medical device integration and vendor-neutral interoperability in critical care are already helping healthcare organizations improve clinical efficiency and data accuracy, while freeing up staff to focus on providing patient-centered care. Advancing common interoperability standards with industry partners will further enhance this approach, giving systems and devices a common language to ‘speak to each other’ so that patient information can be shared even more easily.

While the previous four healthcare technology trends all focus on improving hospital care, there is an equally important trend that will continue to gain traction in 2025: the ongoing shift to managing health outside of the hospital. Hospital-at-home programs for patients who need acute-level care continue to be on the rise, allowing patients to receive high standards of care wherever they are, not just in hospital settings.

Remote patient monitoring plays a critical role in this shift by providing healthcare professionals with real-time data to manage patient care from a distance. It has also been shown to be effective in reducing hospital readmissions for patients with chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure and is increasingly used in post-operative monitoring for early and safe patient discharge. Hospitals get to free up scarce beds for patients who need them more urgently, while patients benefit from an improved experience at home.

The use of virtual care soared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, it offers an opportunity to change how healthcare is delivered around the world by improving healthcare outcomes, particularly in resource-limited settings. Bringing care directly to patients in medically underserved communities or regions is an essential part of improving access, equity and affordability of patient care.

From remote patient monitoring and point-of-care ultrasound to real-time video consultations and more, telehealth increases the potential for healthcare to reach more people, no matter where they’re located. It can also reduce the need for specialist visits, as primary care physicians can resolve 40% of issues with the help of telehealth-based specialists³.

For example, telemedicine capabilities allow sonographers and patients based at satellite locations to connect virtually with doctors to discuss ultrasound findings in real time. These more remote locations have every capability of the main practice – without either party needing to drive several hours. Similarly, digitalization, informatics and AI are improving the quality and accessibility of obstetric care in low-income countries and underserved communities. Interpretation of images obtained through AI-enabled handheld ultrasound is no longer required by the operator, which reduces the training needed to perform the exam.

Modern parenting has taken on a decidedly digital flavor with the integration of smart devices and apps into childcare routines. Parents now have unprecedented access to data that can help them make informed decisions and receive reassurance about their child’s overall health and well-being. In fact, there’s growing interest in AI-enabled technologies that not only provide monitoring capabilities but also deliver predictive insights about a child’s behavioral patterns.

As we move into 2025, we expect an increasing number of parents – particularly first-time parents – to embrace apps and connected devices to help keep a watchful eye on their children. Our research has shown that 80% of parents in the US and 79% of parents in Europe are open to using wearables and smart technologies^4,5, demonstrating the growing desire to implement care routines based on data to support their children’s safety and health.

Households are becoming more connected through the adoption of smart home systems, allowing parents to conveniently access device features such as video and audio feeds on their phones or computers. Wearables and smart devices like socks, pacifiers and trackers can provide real-time information about a child’s activities or vital signs, including respiratory patterns, body temperature and heart rate. Some AI-enabled baby monitors can help caregivers decode an infant’s cries, allowing for quicker responses to hunger and other needs.

As highlighted in several of the healthcare technology trends above, AI holds immense potential to transform healthcare, increase efficiency and improve lives. And now, AI is also starting to help improve sustainability for companies – including within healthcare technology.

Healthcare accounts for 4.4% of global CO2 emissions⁶ – more than either the aviation or shipping industries. AI could help analyze supply chains and identify areas for improvement, reduce waste, or improve facility management. Operational efficiencies like this are just the start. AI is also already helping to increase imaging speed, translating into lower power consumption per patient scan. How AI can be leveraged to reduce global healthcare emissions and environmental impact is an area ripe with potential for 2025 and beyond.

But along with widespread adoption comes the potential for unintended consequences and significant environmental impact. There’s growing awareness of the need for sustainable innovations and AI models. Healthcare systems are now questioning how AI may be adding to their carbon footprints, while developers are concerned about improving the sustainability of the models.

The vast majority of healthcare’s carbon footprint – 71% – comes from supply chains through the production, transport and disposal of goods and services⁹. In fact, reducing these Scope 3 emissions is expected to have seven times more impact than just lowering a company’s own emissions. Healthcare organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of addressing supply chain emissions not just for upcoming government regulations and reducing overall environmental impact, but also for their own financial performance. They are teaming up with partners throughout their value chains to drive change.

Greater transparency and sustainable decision-making are already becoming major considerations in supply chains, from circular product design to collaborations with suppliers. According to the 2024 Future Health Index report, over the next three years, 41% of healthcare leaders plan to choose suppliers with sustainable targets and initiatives, and an equal percentage plan to implement sustainable procurement strategies, including circular equipment. Some companies like Philips are working directly with their suppliers to ensure they meet environmental standards and adopt sustainable practices. This type of responsible sourcing of goods and services can have a positive ripple effect within the entire healthcare value chain.

As climate change poses increasingly significant challenges, there is an urgent need for hospitals and healthcare systems to enhance their preparedness. The World Health Organization reports that climate change is already impacting health in many ways, including death and illnesses from heat waves, drought, floods, air pollution, wildfires and more¹¹. Many healthcare facilities see increasing numbers of patients with climate-related health issues, yet not all are prepared to care for the influx. Issues extend beyond patient care – healthcare must also consider the impact on their own operations and facilities.

In 2025, as the global conversation turns toward this topic, we expect that healthcare technology will play an important role in ensuring that the healthcare industry is equipped to handle these growing challenges. One way is through developing resilient infrastructure to ensure continuous and effective healthcare delivery, even in the face of climate disasters. This includes transitioning healthcare facilities to renewable energy sources and implementing sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint and operational costs.

There are also opportunities for increased training and education programs to equip healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills needed to manage the influx of heat-related illnesses and vector-borne diseases. Additionally, early warning systems could enable prompt responses to minimize health risks, and strengthening community health programs can help improve preventive care and manage climate-sensitive health conditions at the local level.