The case for seamless, embedded technology
To reverse this trend, we must rethink how digital tools are designed and deployed. The future isn’t about more tech, but rather smarter tech. That means evidence-based clinical solutions that are embedded directly into the clinical workflow, offering real-time, in-context support without forcing clinicians to leave their primary environment.
Clinical decision support (CDS) systems and AI-driven tools, when thoughtfully integrated, can enhance decision-making, reduce friction, and improve clinician satisfaction. Integrating UpToDate® into EHR systems has shown measurable benefits: 93% of clinicians say it saves time and is crucial to patient care, and 91% report increased satisfaction with their EHR.
From add-on to essential: Rethinking digital health design
For healthcare executives navigating the digital transformation of care delivery, the question is no longer if technology should be integrated but how. The next frontier is about embedding intelligent, interoperable solutions directly into clinical workflows to drive measurable outcomes.
From fragmentation to strategic integration
Standalone digital tools often create friction, not value. When clinicians must exit their workflow to access decision support, documentation platforms, or care coordination tools, the result is inefficiency, frustration, and missed opportunities. Instead, integrated workflow redesign where digital health solutions are embedded within the electronic health record (EHR) can transform clinician experience and organizational performance.
Embedding clinical decision support (CDS) tools into the EHR has shown to:
- Save time by enabling one-click access to evidence-based answers during patient encounters.
- Reduce burnout by eliminating redundant logins and streamlining documentation.
- Improve clinician satisfaction, with 89% of surveyed users reporting enhanced EHR experience when UpToDate was embedded.
Aligning technology with clinical and business goals
Strategic integration isn't just about usability. It's about alignment. When digital health tools are designed to support clinical decision-making, they also support broader organizational goals:
- Centralized patient data and care plans reduce duplication and improve continuity.
- Connected care teams foster collaboration across disciplines and settings.
- Standardized protocols reduce variation and improve quality metrics.
Executives should prioritize solutions that offer quantifiable ROI, such as increased EHR utilization, improved quality scores, and reduced clinician turnover, and champion a shift from tool acquisition to workflow transformation. This means:
- Partnering with clinical and IT leaders to co-design solutions.
- Demanding interoperability and ease of use from vendors.
- Measuring impact not just in adoption rates, but in clinical and financial outcomes.
The future of point-of-care innovation
As healthcare rapidly evolves, clinicians remain central, navigating complexity, burnout, and rising expectations while striving for better outcomes. Point-of-care innovation is more than technology. It’s empowering clinicians with tools that align with their workflows, values, and patient needs.
Emerging trends shaping the future
- AI (artificial intelligence) in healthcare and individualized patient scenarios: Generative AI (GenAI) is becoming a cornerstone of clinical transformation. In Wolters Kluwer’s survey, 80% of professionals see GenAI as key to optimizing workflows, yet only 63% feel ready to implement it. GenAI supports decision-making, automates tasks, and enhances documentation, freeing time for patient care. It also helps detect drug diversion, personalize treatments, and integrate real-time data.
