The role of AI in shaping the future of healthcare

Five years after the start of the pandemic, health systems, physicians, nurses, and other clinicians are still grappling to find a new equilibrium in a world forever marked by the stress, burnout, and widespread trauma of the COVID-19 experience. Against the background of these fundamental pressures, organizations are also facing rising concerns around financial sustainability due to economic and regulatory uncertainty, exacerbated by ongoing workforce shortages that threaten to impact patient safety and the consumer experience.

It's no wonder, then, that the advent of GenAI has been welcomed with such enthusiasm. With the promise of more intuitive, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for some of healthcare’s greatest challenges, GenAI is poised to become a critical tool for helping organizations regain their footing.

To gain real-world insight into how organizations are viewing the GenAI revolution, Wolters Kluwer surveyed a panel of health professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, administrators, and medical librarians.

The new 2025 Future Ready Healthcare Survey Report from Wolters Kluwer Health, conducted in partnership with the independent marketing research firm Ipsos, reveals that while healthcare professionals widely recognize the transformative potential of GenAI, most organizations are not yet ready to harness its full value.

Download the Report to learn more about:

  • How is generative AI being used in healthcare?
  • How will AI affect the healthcare industry?
  • Is AI a threat to healthcare?
  • What is the role of AI in the future of healthcare?
  • How is AI being used in clinical practice?

Key Findings from the 2025 Survey

63 percent

Percentage of respondents who said their organizations are prepared to use GenAI to optimize workflows within departments

76 percent

Percentage of respondents who cited “reducing clinician burnout” as a top priority

18 percent

Percentage of respondents who reported being aware of published policies for GenAI use within their organizations

Download the 2025 Future Ready Healthcare Report

Learn how organizations are developing more comprehensive strategic roadmaps that include clear policies and a step-by-step approach to current state improvements while preparing for how GenAI can support ongoing innovation.
Download The Report

Highlights from the 2025 Future Ready Healthcare Report

The survey showed alignment across clinical and administrative stakeholders on the need to leverage GenAI to address staffing shortages, generate administrative efficiencies, and reduce burnout, but not everyone is yet convinced that their organizations will make it work.

74% of respondents recognize the potential to use technology in professional development and clinical training over the next three years.

41% of pharmacists and 47% of allied health professionals believe new technologies will bring a reduction in administrative staffing needs.
52% of pharmacists and 45% of nurses agreed that GenAI will be effective for reducing burnout via improved automation of repetitive tasks.
“GenAI has the potential to be a powerful tool for supporting sustainability in healthcare organizations right now, as well as preparing them for a more efficient future. The challenge is developing a strategy that can both optimize the current state in a highly volatile environment and simultaneously equip organizations with the digital capabilities they need to remain competitive over the next several years. Right now, organizations are at risk of falling behind unless they take a more cohesive approach to making GenAI standardized, scalable, and impactful.”
 
– Greg Samios, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health
Scientist uses modern technology for its research
Download an At-A-Glance Executive Summary
Future Ready Healthcare Survey 2025

Adapting to regulatory changes around healthcare policies and practices

More than three-quarters (76%) of respondents are concerned that swiftly changing regulations, including anticipated changes to Medicare and Medicaid at both the state and federal level, may have a broader impact on how they design and execute effective models of care.

Training and retaining clinical professionals to maintain adequate staffing levels

74% of organizations recognize the potential to use technology in professional development and clinical training over the next three years, which could help mitigate the impact of ongoing shortfalls in nurses, physicians, and other care professionals. A similar number will use digital strategies to enhance efficiency, while 70% will focus more specifically on retention, not just recruitment, to solidify institutional knowledge and culture over time.

Reducing administrative burdens that take time away from patient care

As organizations engage in strategies to shore up their staffing, GenAI-driven technologies are likely to be part of the solution for longstanding workflow barriers, such as the burdens of prior authorizations (67%) and electronic health record (EHR) management (62%).

Leveraging technology to strengthen critical organizational competencies

Organizations are seeking easier and more effective ways to manage non-negotiable tasks, such as maintaining cybersecurity preparedness (68%) and supporting telehealth/virtual care programs (65%). Finding ways to integrate GenAI into these areas will be a primary focus over the next three years.

Meeting changing expectations, both internally and from the community

Consumerism is expected to become an even stronger driving force for change over the next few years, with 70% of organizations recognizing the need to respond to the changing needs of patients. A similar number (64%) are also anticipating heightened expectations from organizational leadership to produce measurable results.

Future Ready Healthcare - Impacts

Additional Updates About How AI Is Transforming Clinical Workflows in Healthcare You May Be Interested In

Drug Diversion
Press Release
HealthMay 20, 2025
Detecting drug diversion sooner: Wolters Kluwer survey highlights need for AI technology and cross-department collaboration
Only one-third of survey respondents report being very confident in their programs’ effectiveness.
Learn More
Scientist uses modern technology for its research
Press Release
HealthMay 21, 2025
Wolters Kluwer introduces Ovid Guidelines AI, transforming clinical guideline development with agentic AI
Ovid Guidelines AI will accelerate ASCO guideline research workflow with GenAI
Learn More
20250305_Nursing_vrClinicals_0016.jpg
Press Release
HealthApril 03, 2025
Wolters Kluwer and Laerdal Medical enhance VR simulation for nursing education with conversational AI
vrClinicals for Nursing continues to transform multi-patient, virtual reality simulations with AI innovations
Learn More
Portrait, girl lighted with colorful code
Press Release
HealthMarch 04, 2025
Wolters Kluwer to integrate UpToDate into healthcare agent service in Microsoft Copilot Studio
Collaboration uses GenAI to deliver patient-specific, evidence-based medical content through Microsoft Dragon Copilot ambient listening and other point of care workflows.
Learn More
Back To Top