The definition of digital health is evolving. The era spurred on by the Covid-19 pandemic—think telemedicine and digital therapeutics, which have struggled to scale—is giving way to one defined by artificial intelligence (AI) and solutions that strengthen the bond between health care professionals and patients in an integrated manner, with appropriate economics to support them.

We see this shift reflected in trends that experts across BCG and BCG X anticipate will shape digital health in 2025. As AI matures, it is rapidly expanding possibilities for patients, providers, and health care organizations alike. New digital solutions are being leveraged to address gaps in care for chronic conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, and mental health. And the growing influence of generative AI (GenAI) on every aspect of health care—from personalized care to automated workflows—is a key theme for the upcoming year, as it was in 2024.

Let’s dive deeper into how we expect digital and AI solutions to reshape health care in 2025.

Patient Support

This year, digital health tools will continue to transform patient care, improving their support and access. Smart implants and wearable devices that allow providers to monitor patients’ cardiac activity, blood sugar levels, and other biological functions in real time from remote locations will enable better chronic disease management and improve patients’ quality of life. As sleep continues to gain attention as a crucial biomarker for overall well-being, health tech companies are creating more advanced, accurate sleep-tracking tools.

A growing number of individually tailored apps and digital platforms will give patients more control over their medical conditions, predict flare-ups, and suggest real-time interventions. We expect consumers to increasingly rely on AI chatbots and virtual assistants for answers to health questions.

Digital health will continue to offer solutions to address gaps in women’s health care, including femtech innovations to redesign traditional “hardware” used for women’s health (such as the speculum), with the female experience at the center. It’s a needed shift: A recent BCG X survey found that fewer than half of women respondents across the globe (41%) agreed that there are sufficient services to address their specific health concerns.

We are also beginning to see a maturing of partnerships between femtech health and wellness brands that can lead to interoperable ecosystems that pool women’s health data and ultimately drive improved health outcomes.

Provider Empowerment

Providers will be empowered and enabled by digital technology as well. Artificial intelligence can provide the analytical muscle to process vast quantities of personal patient data, powering highly personalized medical treatment tailored to individuals based on their unique health data from continuous monitoring devices, lifestyle inputs, and individual genetics. This enables providers to adjust treatment dynamically based on feedback in real time.

Artificial intelligence decision-making tools will become mainstream in 2025, giving doctors immediate access to evidence-based research and treatment guidelines. GenAI applications will accelerate diagnoses and minimize diagnostic errors, while speeding the delivery of patient care and more accurately predicting patient outcomes.

Emergence of Ecosystems

At the organizational level, our experts anticipate that the coming year will see an expansion of the use of AI to organize and automate entire workflows instead of just specific tasks. For example, rather than an AI tool that facilitates physician note-taking or scheduling, intelligent agents will automate an entire patient episode of care, from intake through treatment plan. Working across departments, AI programs will learn as they go, improving efficiency and outcomes at both the patient and system level. Health systems will benefit, but so will other types of health care organizations such as pharmaceutical companies, where GenAI can transform key activities such as clinical trials and regulatory submissions.

AI-driven data processing will also allow access to data that has until now been considered too disorganized to be useful, such as medical records, clinical notes, and physician/patient interaction information. Clinicians, payers, and drug companies alike will be able to draw out actionable insights from these data sets to improve patient care and outcomes. At the same time, expanded access will enhance different systems’ ability to interact with one another, facilitating more seamless collaboration.

While GenAI continues to generate tremendous excitement in the digital health care space, it’s not a panacea. Our experts recognize that some of these programs won’t deliver anticipated results in 2025. When that happens, we emphasize the importance of going back to the basics: focusing on business outcomes and tracking key performance indicators. In this way, AI failures can drive more focused, sustainable transformation in the long term.

Clearly, 2025 promises to be a transformative year. We’re excited to see how AI and more digital tools reshape health care.

Read the full report for more insights from our global team of experts.