Uncertainty surrounding telehealth flexibilities and artificial intelligence regulation will shape healthcare technology trends this year, while cyberattacks continue to batter the sector, experts say.
AI is an alluring technology for the industry, but healthcare organizations have to grapple with safety and accuracy concerns as they roll out the tools — and they face a potentially hazy regulatory environment as President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term in office.
Telehealth is facing its own regulatory challenges after a year-end bill that would have extended Medicare virtual care flexibilities for two years fell apart in December. Now, those pandemic-era policy changes will only last through March, adding new anxieties for telehealth groups and providers who argue unpredictability hampers investment in virtual care.
Healthcare organizations will also likely continue to face a wave of cyberattacks, a serious threat to care delivery as the sector relies ever more heavily on connected devices and systems.
Meanwhile, digital health funding could increase this year after years of declines. Some companies could combine or ink initial public offerings — potentially pushing other firms to go public if they’re successful, experts say.
