Driven by rapid advancements in digital technology, the necessities of the pandemic, and increased patient demands for telehealth, healthcare has shifted rapidly toward remote solutions in recent years—with the promise of enhanced access, convenience, and scalability for both patients and providers. This transformation is so swift, in fact, that Fortune Business Insights predicts the telehealth market will grow from $161 billion in 2024 to nearly $800 billion by 2032 – a significant compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22%.
But telehealth is just one aspect of healthcare’s remote shift. Essential business and administrative functions such as IT support and call centers are also increasingly moving offsite or are being outsourced to third parties. Indeed, the healthcare sector finds itself in a situation where critical data is more dispersed and remote than ever before, creating an urgent need for flexible IT systems that streamline operations, safeguard sensitive information, and optimize care.
What do these trends portend for healthcare organizations in 2025? Here are three key predictions spanning IT, security, and user experience.
Prediction 1: Healthcare Will Take a Scalpel to Technical Debt
This “remote” shift is further complicating an already incredibly complex healthcare technology landscape.
Healthcare organizations have been accumulating a lot of technical debt—defined as taking shortcuts when building software and systems to save time knowing you’ll have to pay for upgrade later—because they’ve had to prioritize rapid implementation of systems to meet urgent needs, like the sudden shift to remote work during COVID and the need to keep pace with the shifting regulatory environment. As a result, they find themselves relying on outdated technology that’s less and less able to do its job over time. This focus on immediate solutions over long-term planning is common in healthcare. For instance, 51% of hospitals and health systems have more than 50 different software solutions in use. These outdated systems pose numerous challenges, including operational inefficiencies, security vulnerabilities, and a reduced capacity to adapt quickly to emerging demands.
Healthcare organizations aren’t blind to this burden. In fact, 45% of healthcare CIOs surveyed by CereCore, a healthcare services company, said they are more concerned about technical debt than in previous years. But many are investing to head off further indebtedness. The survey found 75% are spending on mature upgrade and system maintenance processes as well as on roadmaps for technical refreshes and lifecycle management while 44% are beefing up professional development and certification programs.
In 2025, healthcare leaders are likely to continue the spending spree to slow and even reduce their tech debt. Their focus will center on eliminating redundant systems and upgrading to scalable, cloud-based solutions that integrate seamlessly across healthcare operations.
If they succeed, the benefits will be plentiful. Greater operational efficiency. More accurate data sharing. Faster service delivery. And better patient care. As an added bonus, leadership will be able to reallocate the resulting savings toward critical security initiatives, such as implementing zero trust frameworks, to better protect patient data and enhance overall system resilience.
Prediction 2: Healthcare Will Start Prescribing Zero Trust for its Cybersecurity Ills
The remote shift in healthcare is amplifying more than just challenges around technical debt. With so much information moving around electronically, it’s also attracted a criminal element.
Healthcare has always faced unique privacy and security challenges due to sensitive patient data. Patient records are incredibly juicy targets for cybercrooks who sell them on the dark web for upwards of $60 a pop compared to $15 for a Social Security number or $3 for each set of credit card digits. Naturally, healthcare organizations have been under fire from cybercriminals with two-thirds (67%) hit by ransomware attacks in 2024 and paying an average of $2.57 million to recover from those events, according to a Sophos study. Nearly 70% of healthcare organizations impacted by cyberattacks also reported patient care disruptions.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that 40% of healthcare IT leaders now say cybersecurity is their organization’s top threat – so there’s no doubt it will be a top priority going into 2025.
The zero trust security model, which assumes all users and devices are potentially untrustworthy and enforces policies of least privilege, will likely be their solution of choice, if it isn’t already. Zero trust can be tailored for healthcare’s specific needs, including securing third-party access, contractors, and remote workers. With a focus on stringent access control, data segmentation, and continuous monitoring, the zero trust model is ideal for protecting dispersed healthcare systems and data.
This transition will not be without challenges. Healthcare organizations in 2025 will be exploring strategies for transitioning legacy security architectures to zero trust without disrupting care. Staff training will be essential to this seamless security experience, ensuring productivity and care are not compromised.
But once implemented, the benefits of zero trust will go far beyond security. When security is seamless for the healthcare organization, it also becomes seamless for users – including the physicians, nurses, and other health professionals. The less time these users spend grappling with security, the more time they can spend with their patients.
Prediction 3: Clinician Workflows Will Get a Digital Checkup
As remote healthcare expands – from telehealth to increased system access by contractors, temporary staff, and remote employees – healthcare organizations will be similarly challenged to provide seamless and secure access. The healthcare user base has become more diverse, including visiting physicians, contact center staff, and agents working from unmanaged devices. Each of these users requires a secure, efficient workspace with full data segregation and complete visibility.
As a result, healthcare leaders in 2025 will place greater emphasis on creating easy, intuitive, and secure end-user experiences for all healthcare employees, irrespective of location. This will drive the search for solutions that streamline data access while maintaining stringent privacy compliance and security best practices, such as zero trust frameworks. The industry is likely to see increased reliance on cloud-based, web-accessible electronic health record systems that offer enhanced integration and consistent user experiences.
Why? Because everyone in healthcare has the same ultimate desire: To dedicate as much of their quality time and attention toward patient care. Consider a visiting physician needing to use multifactor authentication each time they log into a hospital computer—a common reality today. Cumulatively, this equates to significant time spent logging in instead of interacting with the patient and improving their care. By streamlining secure access in 2025, healthcare organizations will be able to improve experiences for end users and patients alike.
Preparing for a more remote future in healthcare
As healthcare systems prioritize reducing tech debt and adopting robust security solutions in 2025, they will be laying the groundwork for seamless and secure remote environments. These advancements will not only enhance operational efficiency and protect sensitive data but also foster a more user-friendly experience for healthcare professionals. Ultimately, the ripple effect will benefit patients as caregivers gain more time and focus for delivering quality care. As such, expect healthcare leaders to seize the moment—driving modernization efforts that protect their organizations, empower their staff, and improve patient outcomes.

John Kirkman
John Kirkman and his team tackle the most complex data security and IT management projects facing today’s healthcare providers. John founded Island’s healthcare practice to help hospitals, clinics, testing facilities, and care centers improve patient outcomes with more efficient and secure technology. John has over 25 years of industry experience, having spent the last 14 in cybersecurity. Prior to Island, he founded CrowdStrike Healthcare. Before that, he spent seven years in McAfee’s Healthcare vertical. Additionally, John held roles at IBM and Oracle, growing their healthcare and life sciences segments. John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business from San Diego State University. He resides in Lake Tahoe, Nev. with his wife and two children. On any given weekend, you will likely find John and his family on the slopes or on the lake.