Here are the digital trends in healthcare 2025: AI frees up time and supports quality of care

1. AI frees professionals' time from routine tasks

In Finland, an estimated 1,800 full-time healthcare professionals spend an estimated 1,800 hours of their time on record-keeping alone, and doctors spend more than eight hours a month on consultations. Artificial intelligence has the potential to free up significant amounts of professionals' time from routine tasks.

For example, AI-assisted patient record keeping is already commonplace in Terveystalo's chat rooms. Based on initial data and discussion, the AI drafts a draft patient report for the doctor, who either accepts, edits or rejects it. Our professionals' time has been freed up to meet patients, and the cognitive load of reception work has been reduced.

In the future, AI will be used extensively to perform various recordings, consultations and other routine tasks in both remote and brick-and-mortar practices.

2. Technology supports continuity of care: every doctor can be his or her own doctor

Improving continuity of care in healthcare is a priority. However, continuity of care does not only mean continuity of the personal care relationship. It is also about the continuity of information flow.

Every doctor can act as a kind of self-medicator, as long as the information that is essential to the patient's care is easily accessible to the treating professional. For example, patient information systems need to be more responsive to the needs of professionals and allow for a smooth flow of information.

This does not mean a huge amount of new information, but identifying the information most relevant to patient care and making it available in a usable format, for example from decades of medical history.

At Terveystalo, together with our healthcare professionals, we are developing a modern patient information system to support a smooth workflow and continuity of care. Terveystalo Ella will bring together all the most important information from different sources for the implementation and planning of a client's care.

3. Personalisation of services is also coming to healthcare

Continuity of care also means continuity in the delivery of care. At Terveystalo, continuity of care is supported by care pathways, of which there are currently more than 80 for different conditions such as diabetes, hypertension or respiratory infections. The care pathways ensure that the care plan is implemented as planned and always by the right professional.

The next step in healthcare is to make care more personalised. In practice, this means, for example, personalising care pathways for each client.

More efficient analysis of patient data will enable the construction of a personalised care pathway based on, for example, previous diagnoses, medications or other information. More efficient use of data will also enable the identification and prevention of various work-cycle risks.

4. AI speeds up access to care and AI consultations are becoming more common worldwide

AI can also be used to speed up access to care. For example, Terveystalo's Symptom Assessment already directs patients to the right treatment channel and the right specialist based on a preliminary questionnaire.

Another global trend is that AI-based reception services are becoming more common. This means that health concerns are discussed solely with AI, which provides rapid, low-threshold health advice.

However, as AI becomes more widespread, accountability will become more important. The technology is not at the point where AI can be reliably used to make all care decisions, for example. AI needs to be developed responsibly and organisations need to establish ethical principles for its use. Within the EU, legislation is also guiding the use of AI in healthcare.

5. Cybersecurity in healthcare is more important than ever

Cyber-attacks on healthcare are on the rise. During 2024, attacks on healthcare in the EU almost quintupled and there are reasons to expect the same trend to continue.

Cyber threats are mainly related to the theft of sensitive information and disruption of critical systems. The use of artificial intelligence in cyber attacks will also increase. For example, AI can be used to target attacks in a more personalised way.

This change will require a continuous effort to improve cyber security in order to keep organisations' data safe. A clear organisational structure, optimisation of resources, training and continuous skills development are needed. Protecting against risk also requires increased AI capabilities, speed and automation. At Terveystalo, investments in cybersecurity have already been high in the past, but they have increased significantly over the last few years.