Patient Safety Predictions for 2025, Part 2
By Jay Kumar
PSQH reached out to experts throughout healthcare to get their predictions for what will happen in patient safety and healthcare quality in 2025. This is Part 2 of our roundup of predictions; you can read Part 1 here.
Chris Luoma, Chief Strategy Officer, GHX
AI will revolutionize the implantable device supply chain
Healthcare organizations have significantly optimized the management of low-cost, high-volume supplies. This suggests there will be a continued shift in 2025 to focus more on simplifying the procurement of implantable devices, which relies on traditionally manual and inefficient processes. In 2025, AI-driven analytics will revolutionize implantable device supply chains by enhancing the capture of supply utilization data from both structured (barcodes, labels) and unstructured (documents, audio, video) data sources. This trend will accelerate analysis of procedure card data to drive standardization insights. Furthermore, it will support early demand signals that streamline inventory processes from the bedside to a manufacturer’s shipping dock. This will help providers enhance care and reduce costs while enabling suppliers to strategically plan production and inventory for greater supply chain agility. The healthcare supply chain will continue to narrow its focus when it comes to AI, pinpointing areas where it can deliver measurable value and pursuing those use cases with both trading partners and technology partners.
Bo Holland: CEO of AllClear ID and creator of Health Bank One
2025: The year patients take control and become equal partners in healthcare
For decades, patients had little choice but to take a backseat in their healthcare, following the directives of doctors, pharmacies, and insurance companies. In 2025, this dynamic will shift as digital technology empowers patients to take control. Remote patient monitoring, digital therapeutics, and innovative health apps are not only providing patients with access to their medical data but also delivering personalized insights and tailored treatment options. Armed with these tools, patients will ask smarter questions, make informed decisions, and collaborate more effectively with their care teams—transforming the healthcare journey into a true partnership.
Sonja Tarrago, MD, FAAP, Director of Commercial Strategy at DexCare
The future of a “patient first” approach lies in creating a balanced ecosystem that benefits both parties. Innovations such as AI-powered tools for instant data retrieval and patient access solutions that simplify scheduling and communication will play a pivotal role in reducing administrative burdens. In the next year, these advancements will free physicians to focus on patient care – enhancing the overall care experience. Complementing this, we’ll see a rising trend of leadership strategies like dyad models, which encourage a partnership between clinical and non-clinical leaders, that will help bridge the gap between patient access goals and physician workload management. By granting clinicians greater autonomy over their schedules and workflows, health systems can go beyond only reducing burnout through targeted wellness initiatives and also leverage data-driven insights to refine care strategies. Together, these efforts will improve patient care while creating a more sustainable and supportive environment for providers in 2025.
Edward Lichty, Chief Operating Officer at Machinify
Payment accuracy—the series of functions designed to help health plans patch the holes in the claim adjudication process—will “shift left” in 2025. This is the idea that health plans will focus more on catching errors before payment goes out the door, rather than after. To do this, health plans will continue to look into solutions to help them reduce—and learn from—errors in payments, like AI and automation. The only way to avoid errors going forward is to gather feedback and have transparency into why the errors happen in the first place, all while maintaining safe applications of AI.
Laura Kline, Senior Vice President of Business Development, The Doctors Company and TDC Group
With our various national care shortages and gaps, we need healthcare systems and care team leaders to carry on their vital work of defining roles and solidifying best practices for teamwork within a patient safety culture. Collaboration between physicians and APCs can lay the foundation for continuity of care, delivering significant benefits for patients and providers.
Stacey Caywood, CEO, Wolters Kluwer Health
AI for workflow
In 2024, we saw the health tech sector really start to focus 2023’s AI excitement into tangible solutions that make clinicians’ workdays easier and more productive. For example, transformative tech like a GenAI ambient listening scribe dramatically reduces administrative burdens. In 2025, look for more synergies and partnerships emerging between AI and complementary technologies that serve as a force multiplier for the potential of AI to drive efficiency in the clinical workflow, provide relief from burnout, and deliver value for health systems.
AI for workforce development
Amid staffing shortages, 2025 will see AI helping future clinicians get on a fast track to practice-readiness. Nursing education tools are being wholly rethought to leverage the capabilities of AI. For example, AI has the potential to boost nurses’ licensure prep so students learn from mistakes with smarter, more personalized reinforcement. Look for AI chatbots to transform virtual reality training by providing lifelike conversations with virtual patients. AI will also accelerate the development and adoption of clinical practice changes as hospital nursing leaders turn to AI to power the often-cumbersome process of updating nursing practice protocols.
AI for patient safety
AI health tech is largely focused on helping clinicians. I’d expect to see that scope broaden with AI playing a bigger part in patient safety. In 2025, look for AI solutions that go deeper into live health data to identify disconnects in care that are often overlooked and can impact patient safety. Imagine an AI “helper app” that works 24/7 in the background to identify instances where healthcare providers may miss a potential test or therapy for a patient or – worse – illicitly divert medications from patients, potentially doing harm. Stopping drug diversion with AI is just one example of AI scaling system-wide to comprehensively improve patient safety.
Peter Bonis, Chief Medical Officer, Wolters Kluwer Health
While the discussion around healthcare was muted leading up to the 2024 election, we’ve quickly seen multiple themes emerge that will likely lead to important changes in healthcare with the new administration. We saw challenges in the Medicare Advantage market, the retrenchment of retail health and the convergence of change enablers such as voiding of the Chevron Deference, discussion of a Department of Government Efficiency, and new appointees across HHS, CDC, CMS and the FDA. We concurrently continued to see large investment in AI as the technology advances not only toward the prophesized state of artificial general intelligence (AGI) but the possibility that robotics will permit AGI to be corporeal.
Given all this, 2025 is likely to set the stage for change while actual changes next year will likely be incremental. Implementation of new federal and agency policies will take time. Advancement in AI applications will continue to be constrained by workflow, competing priorities, and economic considerations driving uptake. The greatest progress on scale will likely continue to be in AI applications that drive revenue optimization, although some technologies like ambient will make progress due to their immediate promise to streamline workflow and documentation pain points.
Kelly Villella, Segment Leader & Director of Product Management, Medical Education & Practice, Wolters Kluwer Health
Technology use accelerates for educating students for high-demand health professions that require advanced degrees
As healthcare shifts from reactive to proactive approaches, the demand for specialized care in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and exercise physiology is projected to grow significantly. The number of jobs in these three professions alone are projected to increase by 12-15% over the next decade.
Health professionals will play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle and in treating both chronic and acute conditions globally. In response to these changing demands, the degree requirements for several areas of the health professions have been raised in recent years, reflecting a need for advanced knowledge and skills. As educational institutions grow these programs to meet demand and evolve to educate the influx of students, they will increasingly integrate technology into their curricula to enhance the learning experience, and to help students better understand complex concepts and practice applying foundational knowledge earlier in the curriculum. We expect educator’s use of technology—from virtual simulation and AI to video libraries and digital courseware—to accelerate as it better prepares prospective health professionals to achieve positive patient outcomes and excel in their future careers.
Rafael Sidi, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Health Research, Wolters Kluwer Health
Embracing AI in Medical Publishing
The role of AI in publishing and medical research is evolving to enhance, not replace, human expertise. Researchers are seeking solutions that meaningfully support their workflows. We anticipate a growing adoption of AI tools designed to screen manuscripts for plagiarism, ensure adherence to journal guidelines, and improve language quality. These tools will emphasize transparency, trust, and authorship integrity, ensuring equitable access for researchers globally—a critical factor in driving impactful and inclusive medical research.
In addition to transforming peer review by streamlining the process of matching manuscripts with suitable reviewers, AI will assist researchers in upholding standards of fairness, minimizing bias, and maintaining a commitment to ethical publishing. AI will also play a crucial role in data analysis, helping identify trends and insights that drive innovation and improve patient outcomes.
In terms of dissemination, AI will optimize research content for diverse platforms and audiences, ensuring valuable findings are delivered to the right people efficiently. Enhanced searchability and accessibility will empower researchers and practitioners to quickly locate relevant information, amplifying the practical impact of medical research
While challenges remain—such as safeguarding data privacy and addressing ethical concerns—the positive impact of AI will become increasingly evident in 2025. The focus will be on integrating AI in ways that complement human skills, fostering collaboration where technology and expertise converge to advance medical research and publishing.
The future of medical publishing lies in embracing these opportunities thoughtfully, ensuring AI becomes a powerful enabler of innovation, accessibility, and ethical excellence.
Bethany Robertson, Clinical Executive, Wolters Kluwer Health
Nursing leadership’s role as M&A in healthcare continues
During the third quarter of 2024, there were 27 announced hospital mergers and acquisitions, representing $13.3 billion in transacted revenue marking the highest number in seven years. As healthcare mergers and acquisitions reshape the industry, one critical yet often overlooked factor is cultural alignment, especially within care teams. This is where nursing leaders must step in—bridging the gap between clinical excellence and strategic integration. Nurse leaders, such as Chief Nursing Officers/Chief Nurse Executives, are uniquely positioned to ensure seamless integrations across healthcare facilities, promoting patient-centered care and clinical excellence while building trust and cohesion across diverse teams. These cultural and competency alignments are vital for effective collaboration in newly merged organizations, supporting a stable, unified approach to patient care and organizational success.
Kelly Dries, Director of Nursing Program Success, Wolters Kluwer Health
Onboarding new nurse educators gets revamped through technology
In 2025, the use of technology in onboarding new nurse educators will evolve to offer tailored training pathways through simulations, interactive modules, and AI-enhanced learning platforms. The industry is facing a massive influx of new nurse faculty that is rapidly growing to meet with the demand of nursing students. Onboarding both educators and students with plug and play technology will be key for finding efficiencies and continuing to graduate nursing students who are ready for real world practice.
Julie Stegman, Vice President, Health Learning & Practice segment, Wolters Kluwer Health
Integrating AI and VR will help the transition to patient care
In today’s evolving healthcare landscape, the fusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) will transform how students, residents, researchers and “new to practice” providers, nurses and healthcare professionals develop essential skills. By integrating AI and VR, healthcare educators can create immersive learning environments, personalized learning paths, and real-world simulations that mirror what life will be like when caring for patients. In addition to building clinical skills and developing clinical judgment, learners develop the interpersonal “soft” skills necessary for high-quality care, improving the overall readiness of healthcare professionals entering the workforce. These expert solutions can help decrease the time it takes to onboard and ease the transition growing pains new employees can face.
Karen Kobelski, Vice President and General Manager of Clinical Surveillance Compliance & Data Solutions, Wolters Kluwer Health
Proactive diversion monitoring is essential with rapidly shifting care team dynamics
In 2025, continuing staffing shortages, reliance on per diem or traveling staff, and high turnovers will require more vigilance on behalf of hospitals and health systems in monitoring controlled substances as new clinical teams may not be familiar with policies and procedures. Further, those who divert can more easily switch locations given today’s staffing models. For facilities with more consistent staff, employee wellness remains a priority, and identifying substance use disorder early can ensure employees receive the help they need as quickly as possible. AI-driven surveillance tools will become indispensable, identifying risks more proactively and streamlining investigations with precision and efficiency.
Annie Lambert, PharmD, BCSCP, Clinical Program Manager for Compliance Solutions for Clinical Surveillance & Compliance, Wolters Kluwer Health
Healthcare Compliance and Readiness Will Take Center Stage
With recent updates to USP standards, pharmacies have braced for a heightened regulatory environment, while balancing staffing and drug shortages. This will continue in 2025 as enforcement of the regulations becomes clearer and pharmacies strive to maintain compliance with the new standards. To navigate these shifts, healthcare leaders must prioritize readiness, invest in adaptable systems, and leverage technology to enhance limited resources. Early action will be crucial for continual readiness and operational resilience.
Steve Mok, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCIDP, Manager of Pharmacy Services and Fellowship Director for Clinical Surveillance and Compliance, Wolters Kluwer Health
Always-On Surveillance Reduces Risk from Pharmacy Staffing Gaps
In 2025, worsening workforce shortages of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians will require healthcare organizations to be more creative in their staffing and service models to support patient care. While standardizing clinical practices will help ensure efficiency, technology that can run in the background, surveilling the clinical data and helping direct clinical attention and intervention will help improve patient and medication safety. Virtual care combined with these always-on platforms will mitigate the consequences of an alarming rise in “pharmacy deserts” and clinician shortages.
Karyn Wentz, MSN, RN, CPN, Nurse Informaticist for Clinical Surveillance & Compliance, Wolters Kluwer, Health
Reducing the IP burden in 2025
Healthcare organizations across the country continue to experience staffing shortages and increased demands of infection preventionists (IP). According to Bartles et al, lower than expected staffing ratios are associated with higher rates of infection. With the focus to decrease healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and the increasing reporting requirements and demands of the IP, IPs may find themselves overwhelmed and struggling to keep up with unsustainable workflows. Integrating infection prevention clinical solutions will reduce the burden of clinical surveillance and reporting requirements, giving IPs more time to focus on HAI reduction and other IP-related hospital initiatives.
Karen Jones, MPH, RN, CIC, LTC-CIP, FAPIC, Infection Prevention Clinical Program Manager
Using Whole-Genome Sequencing to support infection prevention programs
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) provides a method to precisely identify the genetic makeup of a pathogen, allowing faster and targeted responses to disease transmission, outbreaks, or unexpected antimicrobial resistance. WGS has been used for infection prevention and control for just over a decade and is becoming more common as cost and processing time to perform WGS decrease. Besides confirming an outbreak, WGS will also rule out a suspected outbreak if isolated specimens are not linked. As outbreak investigations are often time and resource-intensive, implementing WGS will direct IPC teams to raise alerts and step-up prevention strategies. IP leaders must understand the importance of including WGS into their program.
Melissa James, CPC, CPMA, CRC, Senior Consultant, Health Language
Scrutiny on Medicare Advantage compliance remains unrelenting
The 2024 OIG reports revealed significant overpayments tied to unsupported diagnosis codes, underscoring the urgent need for MAOs to bolster their compliance efforts. With Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) audits resuming and introducing extrapolated repayment penalties for the first time, the financial stakes are higher than ever, potentially resulting in substantial repayment demands. MAOs must prepare for heightened regulatory scrutiny by implementing robust compliance frameworks, increasing retrospective chart reviews, and enhancing coding accuracy. Organizations that effectively integrate and analyze siloed clinical data while prioritizing internal audits will be better equipped to adapt to the shifting regulatory landscape in 2025 and beyond.
Shobha Phansalkar, PhD, FAMIA, VP of Client Solutions and Innovation at Wolters Kluwer, Health Language
The biggest problem in healthcare? It’s still data quality.
While 2024 may have been one of the biggest years of transformation in healthcare when it came to the use of AI, the same thing that held us back when EHRs were first mandated nearly 20 years ago hinders the progress of healthcare today: bad data. Amid the desire for rapid transformation, organizations can’t forget the importance of this fundamental currency that will power future discovery and insights. Without a system in place that can help assess, clean, maintain and organize data, health systems will be hindered in their ability to leverage AI effectively, make informed decisions, and unlock the full potential of technology to improve patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and innovation in care delivery.
Anne Donovan, Vice President and General Manager of Health Language, Wolters Kluwer Health
Bridging provider-payer gaps with AI-driven insights
We’ve seen a notable uptick in the use of artificial intelligence at the point of care to improve the patient-provider interaction, increase efficiency and streamline workflows, but we can’t just capture more data – through AI or otherwise – for the sake of documentation. We need to be purpose-driven in thinking about how the data will be used within the healthcare system to facilitate care and financial related considerations between providers and payers. To ensure the meaningful exchange of health information, organizations need to proactively design strategies that share data while maintaining the intentionality behind the data capture.
Greg Samios, President & CEO, Clinical Effectiveness, Wolters Kluwer Health
Generative AI (GenAI) is positioned to play a role in improving patient care in 2025, but more work needs to be done to improve consistency and ensure that patients receive the highest quality care. This starts by defining responsible GenAI so that we can enhance efficiency and reach our destination of superior patient outcomes. When thinking about the year ahead, I believe we can’t lose sight of the human touch, or the quality interactions and trusted data that help push us forward. I look forward to collaborating with the healthcare ecosystem to foster a culture of continuous learning, for a safer future.
Chris Sullivan, Vice President and General Manager of the Commercial Segment for Clinical Effectiveness, Wolters Kluwer Health
Retail pharmacy will continue to see a retraction of the traditional store model as brick-and-mortar pharmacies grapple with financial headwinds and scale back their footprint. We’re starting to see retailers and retail pharmacies accelerate their shift toward e-commerce to align with patient expectations and meet them where they are. At the same time, our recent research shows Americans still value the personal touch and accessibility of their community pharmacies and have genuine concern about closures threatening to disrupt access to care and medication. However, the digitization of the pharmacy uniquely positions pharmacists to guide patients through their care journey. When it comes to healthcare, we all want that human connection for guidance and empathy. Pharmacies have the potential to emerge stronger in 2025 and grab market share by engaging with a hybrid of digital patient education and experiences to maximize time spent with patients and help them find answers to their questions.
Allison Combs, Head of Product, Payer Clinical Effectiveness at Wolters Kluwer Health
Modern payers are evolving to meet the challenges of the increasingly complex healthcare landscape. Health plans need to examine their drug and clinical data strategies and look for opportunities to improve both external and internal alignment that center around evidence, remove data silos, and prioritize innovation, while keeping the members’ needs at the center.
Yaw Fellin, Vice President of Product and Solutions for Clinical Effectiveness, Wolters Kluwer Health
We know that in healthcare, seconds matter. When clinicians and other healthcare team members can save even a small amount of time through reduced administration or faster access to clinical information, it can make a big impact. In 2024, the rapid acceleration of ambient AI throughout the healthcare system proved the importance of time savings and redefined how we value efficiency. In 2025, I anticipate we’ll see an increase in innovation and integrations to bring evidence-based recommendations directly into the clinical workflow, reducing the number of clicks needed to improve documentation, provide patient education and receive clinical decision support. Just a few seconds can make all the difference in healthcare, and with each click saved, we can significantly reduce the cognitive burden on our healthcare professionals and foster more meaningful interactions with patients.
Julie Frey, Vice President of Provider Product for Clinical Effectiveness at Wolters Kluwer Health
The demand for mental health services continues to put pressure on primary care providers who, despite not being formally trained mental health specialists, deliver 60% of mental health care and write nearly 80% of prescriptions for antidepressants. A recent survey from Gallop showed that seven out 10 Americans prefer to be asked about their mental health by their primary care provider and are comfortable with them discussing mental health. Health systems cannot hire enough specialists to support this demand and PCPs will therefore continue to operate on the frontlines of mental health. In 2025 we expect to see new evidence-based tools that will help PCPs make informed medication decisions and assist in prescription tapering and titration of anti-depressants embedded into the care provider’s workflow.
Holly Urban, Vice President, Business Development-Strategy, Clinical Effectiveness, Wolters Kluwer Health
In 2025, GenAI in healthcare needs to shift from potential to practical value, focusing on delivering tangible benefits for professionals and patients in the system. With this transition from hype cycle to value cycle we will continue to see focus on how GenAI can reduce some of the administrative burden of providers with tools such as ambient scribes. I’m most excited about the application of GenAI in healthcare operations such as automation to support billing and coding or prior authorization workflows. Improved efficiency is always a top priority with healthcare leaders, but the continuing friction between payers and providers, coupled with potential regulatory changes with the new administration, will make this focus even sharper; GenAI can play a critical support role.