OpenLoop CEO Predicts What's Next for Digital Health in 2026
AI in healthcare, virtual care expansion, and the next evolution of patient-centered medicine.
As 2026 approaches, the digital health landscape is rapidly transforming. Jon Lensing, CEO and founder of OpenLoop, sat down to share his predictions for what’s ahead — from the rise of precision-driven care models to the impact of AI and wearables. Below are the key takeaways and forecasts shaping the future of healthcare delivery.
1. The New Currency of Digital Health: Speed, Precision, and Adaptability
Reflecting on 2025, Lensing says the year was a wake-up call for digital health companies that focused solely on scale. The winners of the next era, he explains, are those who prioritize speed, precision, and adaptability.
“The companies disrupting healthcare today are moving faster than ever before — with pinpoint focus on specific conditions or care pathways,” Lensing shared. “They’re owning a niche from top to bottom.”
According to Lensing, patients have become savvy healthcare consumers. They want simple, targeted solutions delivered quickly — and organizations that can bring offerings to market with ruthless efficiency will outpace those burdened by legacy processes.
2. Patients Want Frictionless Care, Clinicians Want Flexibility
Lensing points to two groups driving progress in digital health: patients and clinicians.
For patients, progress means convenience and control. They can now search for care online, get same-day telehealth appointments, know their out-of-pocket costs upfront, and have medications or diagnostics shipped directly to their homes — all within 48 hours.
For clinicians, the shift is just as transformative. Lensing predicts a “return to private practice” mentality — where providers are rewarded for productivity and outcomes rather than being salaried employees within large hospital systems.
He adds that the rise of AI-enabled tools, such as automated documentation, virtual diagnostics, and asynchronous treatment platforms, is creating new models of clinical freedom and efficiency.
3. AI Moves from Buzzword to Backbone
While artificial intelligence dominated headlines in 2024 and 2025, Lensing says 2026 will mark AI’s shift from hype to infrastructure.
“AI will become a true second or third set of eyes for clinicians,” he says. “It’ll automate the tedious parts of medicine, from documentation to billing, and allow providers to focus on what really matters: patient care.”
Lensing envisions AI seamlessly handling administrative tasks, coding, and charting, freeing clinicians to spend more time practicing medicine and less time buried in bureaucracy.
4. Tackling the Industry’s Biggest Pain Point: Fragmentation
Despite progress, Lensing acknowledges digital health is still in its infancy. One major barrier remains: fragmentation.
Between pharmacies, labs, telehealth platforms, and payers, communication gaps persist. Lensing argues the industry needs a unified operating system — a central infrastructure to power all of digital health. That’s what he envisions for OpenLoop.
“If I could fix one problem today, it would be creating that fundamental operating system that the entire digital health ecosystem runs on,” he says.
5. A Bold Prediction: 90% of Healthcare Will Be Virtual by 2036
Lensing’s most striking forecast? Within the next decade, 90% of healthcare will be delivered virtually.
He believes only procedures requiring physical interaction, like surgeries, endoscopies, infusions, or emergency care, will remain in-person. Everything else will move online or into patients’ homes.
Yet, he offers a contrarian twist: the long-term winners won’t be those who “own” patients but those who own workflows. The brands that embed healthcare into daily life — retail apps, employer platforms, and social networks — will emerge as the most influential players in health.
“Patients don’t want another branded telehealth app,” Lensing explains. “They want healthcare where they already are."
6. Wearables and Smart Devices Will Finally Make Preventive Care Possible
Preventive care has long been America’s Achilles’ heel, but Lensing believes that’s about to change. Devices like smart rings, watches, and even connected refrigerators will usher in a new era of passive, continuous health monitoring.
These tools will gather real-time data on everything from diet to movement to sleep, enabling clinicians (and algorithms) to make personalized adjustments to care plans — not yearly, but hourly.
“Instead of waiting until something goes wrong, we’ll be able to nudge patients toward healthier choices in real time,” Lensing says.
7. The Case for Partnering Over Building: Why OpenLoop Matters
Lensing also highlights a major opportunity for non-healthcare companies — retailers, employers, and consumer brands — to embed healthcare directly into their platforms. But instead of building from scratch, he argues they should partner with established infrastructures like OpenLoop.
“We know healthcare operations and delivery. Our partners know their audiences. Together, we can bring healthcare to people where they already are,” Lensing explains.
By leveraging OpenLoop’s nationwide clinician network and virtual care infrastructure, brands can launch healthcare offerings in days instead of years.
8. What’s Next for OpenLoop in 2026
Looking ahead, Lensing teases a transformative year for OpenLoop. The company’s 2026 roadmap aims to redefine what a digital health operating system looks like — unifying clinical operations, AI-driven workflows, and supply chain automation into one seamless experience.
“What we’ve built will fundamentally shift how people think about healthcare,” Lensing says. “It’s going to be a game changer.”
Digital Health Will Dominate Healthcare Headlines in 2026
The digital health revolution is no longer about telehealth access or convenience — it’s about precision, integration, and intelligence. From AI as infrastructure to passive health tracking through connected devices, 2026 will be the year digital health truly becomes embedded in everyday life.
As Lensing puts it, “Healthcare is finally catching up to where the consumer already is.”
*This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please consult a licensed attorney.