Quick Summary
As healthcare technology evolves, experts predict that artificial intelligence (AI) and value-based care (VBC) will become more prevalent in 2025. Robert Connely, a leader in healthcare market strategies at Pega, discusses the anticipated changes in healthcare IT and the role of cybersecurity in this transformation.
Key Insights
- Modernization of IT Systems: Healthcare organizations are expected to shift from merely patching legacy systems to adopting comprehensive modernization strategies. This includes a focus on reimagining and replacing outdated technologies.
- AI Integration: While AI has been primarily used for administrative tasks, its clinical applications are set to expand, potentially becoming standard practice in hospitals and health systems.
- Value-Based Care Adoption: The transition to value-based care is gaining momentum, with AI playing a crucial role in its implementation across the healthcare sector.
Modernization Strategies
- Organizations will move away from the “wrap and renew” method of maintaining legacy systems, opting instead for targeted strategies that focus on complete modernization.
- Connely emphasizes the importance of balancing modernization with the need to minimize technical debt associated with outdated systems.
- The new approach involves breaking down legacy systems into modular components, allowing for greater flexibility and scalability.
Cybersecurity Considerations
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare, addressing security concerns is paramount. Connely highlights two key areas for improvement:
- Data Security: Ensuring the protection of private patient data is critical as AI systems become more prevalent.
- Technological Advances: Innovations such as homomorphic encryption and private large language models (LLMs) are being explored to enhance data security while utilizing AI.
AI’s Role in Value-Based Care
Connely predicts that AI will be instrumental in transitioning value-based care from pilot programs to standard practices in healthcare by 2025. Key points include:
- AI can enhance care management by facilitating engagement with patients and their support networks, ultimately reducing costs associated with emergency services.
- The shift towards VBC requires healthcare payers to adopt a more patient-centric approach, with technology enabling better coordination among stakeholders.
- AI-driven systems will allow for real-time personalization of care, aligning individual needs with broader healthcare goals.
Conclusion
As healthcare organizations prepare for 2025, the integration of AI and the adoption of value-based care are expected to reshape the industry. With a focus on modernization and cybersecurity, these advancements aim to improve patient outcomes and streamline healthcare processes.