The future of health tech: Predictions for 2025 and beyond.
AI-powered diagnostics and digital health platforms are reshaping how we approach healthcare - but what lies ahead?
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As we reach the midpoint of this decade, the health tech landscape continues to evolve at a breathtaking pace. From AI-powered diagnostics and wearable tech to personalized medicine and digital health platforms, innovations are reshaping how we approach healthcare. But what lies ahead?
To answer that question, we turned to experts across the industry, as they share their predictions for the breakthroughs, challenges, and opportunities that will define health tech in 2025 and beyond.
Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a healthcare professional, or simply curious about what the future holds, this is your guide to the trends and technologies that will shape a healthier tomorrow.
Proactive care powered by AI and human connection.
Kenny Bloxham, Global Healthcare CX Director at Webex
In the coming years, patient communication will shift from reactive interactions to proactive, personalized care driven by AI with seamless human integration. Autonomous agents will play a pivotal role in this transformation and taking the burden of admin staff, by initiating conversations, responding to queries, providing reminders, and sharing self-care advice with the precision and empathy that patients expect.
These agents can excel in these tasks, but their true value will lie in their ability to transition smoothly to a real member of staff when needed – complete with all background information on the interaction that has already taken place. This ensures patients never have to repeat themselves, fostering trust and efficiency. By blending technology with the human touch, healthcare will not only become more proactive but also more patient-centered, enhancing outcomes and experiences alike.
Health and care come to us.
Benyamin Deldar, Co-CEO and Co-Founder at Deep Medical
In healthcare, the hardest gap to bridge isn’t always about resources or technology—it’s about human connection. It’s the miles between a patient and their clinic, the minutes they spend stuck on the phone, or the seconds it takes to miss an appointment reminder. At Deep Medical, we’ve always believed that care should meet patients where they are. This year, with Cisco, we’re turning that belief into action.
Think about the story of Linda, a single mum juggling two jobs, a lively toddler, and her own health challenges. In the past, a missed appointment was inevitable—a letter buried under bills, no childcare for a 9 a.m. slot, and no time to rearrange. For patients like Linda, the system wasn’t just failing; it wasn’t even trying.
But now, with Deep Medical’s predictive AI and Cisco’s cutting-edge technology, Linda’s story has a different ending. She receives a reminder text, perfectly timed for her break. She confirms her attendance with a tap, and when transport becomes an issue, an Uber Health ride is booked automatically. Her care meets her where she is, not where the system expects her to be.
What makes this possible? Cisco’s unparalleled networks and platforms, seamlessly connecting AI-powered communication with real-world action. From dynamic IoT devices to secure messaging systems, Cisco empowers us to scale personalized care without losing the human touch. Together, we’re not just optimizing healthcare logistics—we’re rethinking what access means in the first place.
As we look to 2025, this partnership is more than a technological leap; it’s a philosophical one. By aligning Deep Medical’s vision with Cisco’s infrastructure, we’re proving that innovation in healthcare doesn’t just solve problems—it changes lives. And for every Linda out there, that’s the real story.
NHS App development enabling more patients to enter through the digital front door.
Tracey White, Group Digital Business Partner at Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
We begin 2025 with a 7.5 million-strong waiting list and over 200,000 people waiting for over a year, many in great pain and with worsening conditions. At the beginning of January, the Prime Minister’s Office shared details of the Elective Reform Plan, “a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target”, with one focus being the NHS app to offer patients “greater choice and control”.
Patients over 85% of acute trusts will be able to view their appointment information via the NHS App by March 2025
As part of the new plan by March 2027, the NHS app will be significantly expanded to improve information for patients in elective care, as well as their parents and carers through proxy access.
In the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth Hospitals University Digital Team, we’re very excited to see the NHS App continuing to develop and expect it to become firmly established as the digital front door for our patients. It offers innovative new ways for patients to access and interact with services, whilst enabling them to conveniently manage appointments around their life with the goal of reducing missed appointments. By offering more personalized, joined-up care we make patients and what matters to them, our priority.
AI assistants: Transforming care and combating loneliness.
Declan Hadley, Healthcare Lead at Cisco UK&I (Former Health Informatics Director at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust)
AI-driven Digital Personal Assistants will play a transformative role in supporting individuals with long-term conditions by helping them manage day-day symptoms, adhere to treatment plans, and maintain their overall health and well-being. These intelligent systems will provide real-time, personalized advice tailored to each user’s unique health needs, leveraging data to deliver proactive care.
Beyond health management, I believe these assistants will address the growing issue of loneliness by offering human-like avatars that can engage in meaningful conversations, provide companionship, and deliver emotional support. Additionally, they will assist with daily tasks, such as medication reminders, meal planning, and scheduling, helping users maintain their independence and improve their quality of life.
Driving breast screening engagement with digital communications.
Gina Vowles, Applications Support Specialist/Registration Authority Manager at The Dudley Group NHS FT
As the UK accelerates its shift toward a prevention-focused healthcare model, health tech will play a pivotal role in enhancing public health initiatives such as breast screening. Digitizing more and more healthcare communications aligns with broader trends across other industries, allowing us to focus on raising awareness and improving engagement with screening services.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme continues to invite people aged 50-70 for free mammograms, aiming to detect breast cancer early, often before symptoms emerge. Early detection remains critical for successful treatment, preventing an estimated 1,300 deaths annually in the UK. However, participation rates still present a challenge, with NHS data showing that in 2022-23, only 65% of eligible women attended their screening appointments, with 18,942 cancers detected. Whilst this represents some progress, over a third of eligible individuals did not engage, often due to barriers like fear, misinformation, or logistical challenges.
We are poised to bridge these gaps with digital communications. At The Dudley Group, we are leading the way by collaborating with Healthcare Communications and The Dudley, Wolverhampton and Southwest Staffordshire Breast Screening service to launch the UK’s first inclusive, digital-first breast screening appointment letters.
Find out how giving patients a choice saw a 5% DNA reduction and £1m+ potential income gains.
By leveraging our platform we aim to provide earlier access to appointments and supporting information to assist with utilizing demand and capacity more efficiently, creating more choice for screening clients and improving attendance. Patients can also add appointments directly to their devices calendar so they don’t forget! Letters can also be translated to 100+ languages or read aloud, and we automatically send a paper letter to those who don’t engage digitally, meaning no patient is disadvantaged.
As the NHS evolves towards a more equitable and proactive system, digital, patient-centered solutions can drive significant improvements in health outcomes, ultimately saving lives by fostering healthier communities.