OpenLoop CEO Forecasts the Digital Health Trends of 2025
Dr. Jon Lensing shares 7 trends to watch for in 2025
As healthcare executives gear up for 2025, they’ll want to keep a pulse on what’s next in digital health. To give you a headstart, Dr. Jon Lensing, CEO and co-founder of OpenLoop, the go-to infrastructure provider for nationwide digital health delivery, shares some of the top 2025 digital health trends he’s forecasting for the new year.
AI integration in healthcare
In 2024, many health executives implemented artificial intelligence into their organization's workflows, and its presence doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
For instance, with a physician shortage likely to continue, Dr. Lensing predicts we’ll see an expansion of AI and machine learning to help leverage provider capabilities and combat understaffing. He remarks, “AI will offer real-time analysis of patient data [and] assist clinicians with decision-making, allowing them to work at the top of their license.”
Dr. Lensing went on to explain how we’ll likely see a rise in the use of predictive analytics tools, too. Some companies currently utilize predictive analytics to forecast hospital readmissions. Next year, Dr. Lensing envisions them being implemented even more for health outcome predictions and suggested interventions.
Another thing to watch out for is the employment of more AI chatbots in healthcare workflows. These bots use natural language processing to understand questions and create responses. According to Dr. Lensing, “AI chatbots will become more prevalent during initial patient interactions.”
Growth of remote patient monitoring (RPM)
Dr. Lensing predicts that RPM adoption will see a significant expansion by 2028, supported by the market being expected to reach $207.8 billion by 2028. However, he emphasized that this growth may not fully integrate with the traditional fee-for-service models.
Instead, he notes, “[RPM] will primarily expand to shared risk models,” a key component of the healthcare industry’s shift toward value-based care. Essentially, Shared-Risk Models are designed to zero in on quality, provider performance and the patient experience.
The wealth of data these tools obtain can’t be ignored either, and they capture it passively, making it convenient for all parties. Dr. Lensing sees more investments in devices like Apple Watches, Oura Rings and smart scales that can facilitate data collection without altering patients' routines.
He explains, “It’s easier than having a patient write down their weight every morning or enter it into their phone. If it's passive data collection, that'll really enhance the adoption. It’ll also provide actual insights back to a patient.”
GLP-1 and weight loss medications
In our 2024 digital health trends, Dr. Lensing accurately anticipated the exponential growth in GLP-1 offerings. In 2025, he predicts it will continue with new generations of clinical trials showing increased efficacy.
For instance, a 2024 study recently reviewed the efficacy and safety of GLP-1 medicines. Researchers noted that the extensive database on these drugs “provides considerable reassurance for the use of these medicines in people with type 2 diabetes” and those who are overweight and obese.
Researchers also explained that dozens of new GLP-1 medications are being developed due to the benefits we’ve seen so far. Given the latest research and his own industry expertise, Dr. Lensing anticipates more innovations in oral peptides, which may lead to decreased barriers to care.
“There's a lot of different organizations out there who are testing different peptides and oral versions. I think the net effect is that we're going to see continued exposure in the weight loss category. The advent of more of these drugs is going to make it more accessible and potentially drive costs down.”
Currently, the market includes mainly injectable peptide therapies.
Dr. Lensing anticipates that virtual weight loss programs will continue to play a key role in helping patients gain continued access to GLP-1 medications and weight loss treatments.
Increased interest in the mobile health app ecosystem
These days, nearly everyone has a mobile device, and more are looking for applications that can help them track and support their health goals.
Dr. Lensing predicts a significant rise in healthcare delivered through mobile apps. In addition to enhancing passive data collection through remote patient monitoring (RPM), these apps can help patients visualize their health insights and take action based on personalized feedback.
He sees gamification playing a key role in motivating healthier behaviors, adding, “I think we’re going to see people create apps to gamify improving and maintaining your health over and over again.” Through personalized, interactive experiences, we could see health apps empower patients to make informed decisions and stay engaged with their wellness journeys in 2025.
Greater focus on data security and privacy
As we continue to shift from paper records to digital ones, Dr. Lensing anticipates that organizations will be working on ways to enhance privacy protocols.
“Heightened awareness around people's data security and privacy is going to be incredibly important,” especially following the Change Healthcare cybersecurity incident, noted Dr. Lensing. “At OpenLoop, we understand the importance of securely managing patient data, which is why we emphasize HIPAA compliance, third-party assessments, and robust security measures.’
Anticipated regulatory changes
Dr. Lensing also forecasts regulatory changes for 2025, mentioning the Ryan Haight Act, which restricts clinicians from prescribing controlled substances unless they perform an in-person exam of the patient.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, though, certain flexibilities were granted, permitting clinicians to prescribe controlled substances without an in-person exam and with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration in just one state.
Dr. Lensing remarks, “There's no official ruling on [the Ryan Haight Act] yet. It’s been pushed back 12 months, so that's something we'd also want to continue to watch.”
Expected investor market activity
When it comes to the investor market, Dr. Lensing says, “We’re going to see a heightened amount of investment in 2025. There will be a flurry of M&A activity.”
Venture capital and growth equity markets have been dampened over the past two years, but Dr. Lensing predicts we’ll see increased activity moving into 2025.
“They've been sitting on larger stockpiles of cash, and they have a fiduciary duty to employ that.”
OpenLoop is the future of digital health delivery
With all of these industry changes on the horizon, one thing will remain consistent: OpenLoop's commitment to increasing access to quality care using our digital health solutions.
We help our clients make meaningful virtual care delivery happen with our vast white-labeled infrastructure solutions including our clinician network of over 20,000+ NCQA-certified providers, intuitive EHR platform, 50-state PC network, and ongoing regulatory and legal support.
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