The American Medical Association (AMA) recently released an update covering various healthcare topics impacting physicians, residents, medical students, and patients. This edition features an insightful discussion with Dr. Margaret Lozovatsky, Vice President of Digital Health Innovations at the AMA, and host Todd Unger, the AMA’s Chief Experience Officer.
Digital Health Trends to Watch in 2025
Unger and Dr. Lozovatsky discussed key trends in digital health, including AI, remote patient monitoring (RPM), and telehealth, and what the future holds for these technologies.
The Future of AI in Healthcare
Dr. Lozovatsky emphasized that AI’s role in healthcare is only going to expand. She noted 2024 as a significant year for the expansion of AI, particularly in ambient listening, a technology already becoming commonplace. She also anticipates new AI tools emerging in 2025 with applications in documentation, communication (e.g., translation), data summarization, and automation tools (e.g., order entry).
“In 2025, we’re going to see many new tools come about.”
Dr. Lozovatsky highlighted the AMA’s commitment to developing ethical, equitable, responsible, and transparent AI tools. She also pointed out that the focus in the coming year would be on implementation and thoughtful integration of these tools to drive the most value, supporting both large institutions and smaller practices while ensuring equitable care.
Wearables and Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
Dr. Lozovatsky shared her view that 2025 will see increased integration of wearables and RPM into care models and chronic diseases, similarly to AI. She anticipates more emphasis in expanding hospital-at-home programs, establishing best practices for chronic disease management, and integrating RPM and wearables thoughtfully.
Key considerations for RPM and wearable technologies include:
- Interoperability: Ensuring seamless data flow.
- Addressing the cognitive burden on physicians.
- Patient Engagement by engaging patients in their care models via wearable and remote monitoring technologies.
The Role of Telehealth
Telehealth, which experienced rapid growth during the pandemic, saw its rates decrease afterwards. Dr. Lozovatsky explained that telehealth’s role will evolve in the coming year and need clear clinical guidelines on when and how to use it. She noted concerns about coverage, particularly with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 expiring in January 2025 unless Congress intervenes. Access to telehealth for patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings is crucial, especially for remote locations that may not offer specialty care.
Other Big Trends for the Coming Year
Dr. Lozovatsky identified a shift towards recognizing the cognitive burdens physicians face. She discussed how technology can play a key role in reducing these burdens by summarizing data and providing physicians with the information they need to care for patients. She cited that 50 years ago, doctors would have about seven pieces of data on an ICU patient. Today, that number is roughly 1,300.
AMA’s Commitment to Making Technology Work for Physicians
Dr. Lozovatsky emphasized the AMA’s renewed strategy, focusing on research, resource development, and programming to optimize existing technology, enhance care delivery and support physicians. The AMA will:
- Refresh digital health research to assess current physician needs.
- Provide an AI governance toolkit to help organizations evaluate and integrate these new tools.
- Launch learning collaboratives to discuss AI governance.
- Create resources about the importance of the physician’s voice in clinical informatics.
- Provide a digital medicine coding resource.
- Update the Physician Innovation Network to support clinicians in working with innovators.
Looking Ahead
Dr. Lozovatsky highlighted the progress made in the proper implementation of technology compared to past rollouts. She hopes to see a future where existing data systems are reworked with the understanding of workflow integration, using the power of the computer to improve quality of care.
