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
76 percent
18 percent

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
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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.

Future Ready Healthcare - Impacts

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.

Beyond addressing staff shortages and optimizing workflows

  • Internal stakeholders are also eager to get to the next level of innovation by using GenAI to improve patient experiences (60%) and enhance clinical decision support leveraging GenAI (56%).
  • Clinicians and administrative staff remain concerned over the fundamentals of GenAI adoption, including privacy and security (56%), bias introduced through poorly trained models (55%), and lack of regulations and standards (55%).
  • Only 18% of respondents said their organization has published policies for authorized use of GenAI, and a similar number (20%) said their organizations require staff to follow formal training on the technology, indicating an increased need to develop and communicate governance around GenAI.
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Insights From Our "Expert Voices"

We called upon individuals from Wolters Kluwer and beyond to comment on the topics and findings in the Future Ready Healthcare Survey. These "Expert Voices" provide insights and perspectives that add tremendous value to the ongoing discussion of these findings.

Flora Marin Picture
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Jill Stapleson
CMIO, Big Health System
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Bob Bobson
SNO, Some Other Big Health System
dr hab. Adam Mariański
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Future Ready Healthcare - Cover
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Generative AI: Balancing today’s needs and tomorrow’s vision
Generative AI is changing the face of healthcare. Explore key trends, new technologies, and sustainable solutions in the 2025 Future Ready Healthcare report. Download it today.
En savoir plus
Future Ready Healthcare - Cover
Campaign Page Flexible
Santé
Generative AI: Balancing today’s needs and tomorrow’s vision
Generative AI is changing the face of healthcare. Explore key trends, new technologies, and sustainable solutions in the 2025 Future Ready Healthcare report. Download it today.
En savoir plus
Future Ready Healthcare - Cover
Campaign Page Flexible
Santé
Generative AI: Balancing today’s needs and tomorrow’s vision
Generative AI is changing the face of healthcare. Explore key trends, new technologies, and sustainable solutions in the 2025 Future Ready Healthcare report. Download it today.
En savoir plus
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