Hospitals of the Future: The Next Frontier in Patient-Centred Care

Hospitals are rapidly evolving into smart, connected ecosystems focused on proactive, personalised care. Leveraging AI, robotics, remote monitoring and digital health tools, they enhance diagnostics, improve workflows and support decentralised models like virtual wards. Predictive analytics, interoperable data systems and sustainable infrastructure further enable this shift, despite integration hurdles, workforce shortages and cybersecurity concerns.

Key Points

• Hospitals are adopting AI and robotics to deliver faster, more accurate care.
• Remote monitoring and virtual wards support decentralised care delivery.
• Predictive analytics help identify health risks before symptoms appear.
• Interoperable data systems enable coordinated, personalised treatment.
• Challenges include tech integration, data security and funding limitations.

Healthcare Delivery Amid Transformation

Healthcare is undergoing a profound transformation due to a powerful convergence of demographic and epidemiological changes. A rapidly ageing population, the surge in chronic and lifestyle-related illnesses – these shifting epidemiological patterns are placing new demands on health systems. Simultaneously, breakthroughs in digital health and artificial intelligence, combined with the need for value-based care and economic pressure of unsustainable costs, are redefining how healthcare is financed, accessed and delivered. At the same time, patients are no longer passive recipients; they are informed, empowered consumers who demand convenience, transparency and personalisation. This rising tide of healthcare consumerism forces hospitals to evolve beyond their traditional roles.

Once characterised by centralised, paper-based and reactive care models, hospitals now face unprecedented pressure to modernise. Mounting financial strain, workforce shortages and siloed infrastructures are pushing healthcare institutions to rethink, redesign and reimagine care delivery for a new era.

Hospitals are under pressure to cut costs while improving outcomes as healthcare costs continue to soar. Chronic disease is at an all-time high. According to the World Health Organisation's 2024 report, in 2021, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were responsible for 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths globally (43 million people). WHO predicts this trend to continue: by around 2050, diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and respiratory illnesses will account for 86% of the 90 million deaths each year (WHO 2023).

Amongst these staggering numbers, there is a critical gap between the need and the supply of healthcare workers. WHO estimates a shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030, mostly in low- and lower-middle-income countries (WHO n.d.). This paradigm shift is compelling hospitals to embrace decentralised, technology-enabled, interoperable systems that deliver proactive, personalised and value-based care.

The Rise of Smart Hospitals: Trends and Technologies to Watch

Demand for Proactive and Precision Care

Advanced diagnostics, medical imaging and digital transformation are pivotal to delivering proactive, personalised care in the modern hospital setting.

Digital technologies enable real-time data collection, personalised communication and targeted care. By integrating EHRs with data from clinicians, labs, devices and wearables, smart hospitals gain a holistic view of each patient. Remote monitoring and IoT tools such as wearables are vital in delivering proactive, personalised care across hospital settings. For example, Zio cardiac monitoring patch by iRhythm Technologies (California, US) is used in several hospitals including Spire Claremont Hospital and Hospital of St. John’s & St. Elizabeth in the UK, as well as Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, US. They are used in emergency departments (EDs) and high-risk patients (symptomatic and asymptomatic patients) to diagnose arrhythmias remotely.

Genomic testing is essential for delivering precision care in hospitals by providing critical insights into how a patient’s unique genetic makeup influences disease risk, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment response. In August 2024, Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital developed a cost-effective genomic panel that diagnoses over 90% of paediatric cancers by sequencing just 0.15% of the genome, enabling precise classification and personalised treatment.

Many hospitals are partnering with non-invasive liquid biopsies for the convenient and precise screening of patients. For example, Guardant Health, Inc. has entered a partnership with one of Europe’s leading cancer research organisations – Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) to establish in-house liquid biopsy testing services, using Guardant Health’s industry-leading proprietary digital sequencing platform, at VHIO’s facility in Barcelona, Spain. This will enable earlier, faster and more accurate diagnosis, therapy selection and monitoring.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms transform diagnostics by analysing medical images, pathology slides and clinical data with speed and accuracy that often surpass human capabilities. Forward-thinking hospitals are investing in advanced infrastructure to harness these technologies for faster, more reliable diagnosis and improved patient outcomes. In January 2025, the Mayo Clinic launched its Mayo Clinic Digital Pathology to accelerate diagnosis. One of the most prominent trends in healthcare today is hospitals partnering with technology developers to enhance patient care through innovation and digital solutions. In June 2025, integrated health system Sutter Health in California, US, formed a strategic partnership with Aidoc to use Aidoc's real-time AI operating system (aiOS™) across Sutter's comprehensive care system, enabling early identification and faster care implementation.

Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) in hospitals provide real-time, evidence-based recommendations using patient data and clinical guidelines. They help prevent adverse drug interactions and missed preventive care opportunities. CDSS also enable personalised care by tailoring interventions to individual factors such as age, gender and genetic profile. CDSS is a rapidly expanding market, with companies like Philips and Siemens offering proprietary platforms.

Soon, hospitals will be fully predictive, hyper-personalised, autonomous and seamlessly connected. Predictive AI will analyse vitals, genomics, lifestyle and environmental data to detect diseases before symptoms emerge. Another transformative technology is the digital twin, which creates a virtual replica of a patient’s body to simulate treatment responses. This will help physicians choose interventions such as medications, surgeries and lifestyle changes and avoid adverse outcomes.

Automated and Intelligent Infrastructure

Automated hospital infrastructure integrates intelligent systems to optimise healthcare operations, reduce human error and enhance patient outcomes.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a cornerstone of smart hospital infrastructure, enabling seamless data exchange, real-time monitoring and automation. Integrating wearables, smart beds or fall detection systems can help transform the care facility into a connected ecosystem. For example, Baxter-Hillrom’s Centrella™ Smart+ Bed can monitor the patient, alert the nurse and detect improper positioning in bed. This is used in major health systems like Mount Sinai Health System, the Cleveland Clinic and many others.

Hospital service robots are increasingly used to automate routine operational tasks, such as delivering meals, medications and lab samples, reducing human error and freeing up staff to focus on critical patient care. Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are now widely deployed for logistics, disinfection and pharmacy dispensing, significantly enhancing efficiency across hospital operations. UV-light disinfection robots, for example, sanitise patient rooms between uses, helping to lower hospital-acquired infection rates.

In recent years, these service and logistics robots have seen rapid adoption, becoming integral to the modern hospital ecosystem. For example, the Xenex LightStrike® Disinfection Robot with pulsed xenon UV light technology is used in over 1000 hospitals across five continents. In 2021, the European Commission financed the deployment of 200 UVD disinfection robots (by Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark) in hospitals across Europe. Rising morbidity and mortality from hospital-acquired and antibiotic-resistant infections are expected to accelerate the future adoption of advanced infection control technologies. The future lies in developing robots that are not just autonomous, but also intuitive, adaptive and seamlessly collaborative, transforming them into true partners in care delivery.

To address the growing shortage of healthcare workers in hospitals, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) offers a powerful solution by automating administrative tasks such as billing, claims processing, patient registration and data entry, as well as streamlining supply chain functions like inventory management, procurement and vendor coordination. For example, Mid Yorkshire Hospital National Health Service (NHS) Trust found that using RPA to automate the registration process saved 72% of the time taken to register new staff for e-learning.

AI plays a vital role in intelligently controlling the hospital infrastructure, such as AI-controlled smart patient rooms, intelligent bed management and staffing optimisation. AI integration in robots improves autonomy in decision-making, navigation and human-robot interaction. Innovations like natural language processing (NLP) make robot interactions more human-like. Edge computing reduces latency, improves response time and saves bandwidth by processing data locally or near the network's edge. Example in Baltimore, US- John Hopkins has a Judy Reitz Capacity Command Center which uses AI to autonomously manage and coordinate hospital staff, beds and systems. This has led to an 83% reduction in operating room holds, a 38% improvement in bed assignment time and a 46% increase in complex transfers.

Modernisation of operating theatres includes surgical robots, advanced visualisation technologies (augmented and virtual reality-based surgery visualisation, 3D imaging) and digital integration across the systems. Surgical robots provide better control and precision for very complex and delicate surgery. Robot-assisted surgery requires smaller incisions, leading to less trauma, less blood loss, reduced complications, faster recovery, improved patient outcomes and shorter hospital stays. This long-term savings from reduced complications and hospital stays attracts hospitals offering value-based care to the patients.

Institutions must also build or upgrade robotic surgery training labs and simulation centres for surgeon onboarding and credentialing.

Decentralised Care Delivery

The hospitals have always been a centralised care delivery model; however, decentralisation makes it more distributed and accessible, ensuring care continuity. The hospitals are integrating remote services and decision-making to reduce the hospital load and enhance chronic disease management through regular touchpoints. High-risk patients are often a part of the virtual ward, where, post-hospitalisation, they are monitored and treated at home or in community settings, using remote monitoring tools, telemedicine and digital care coordination platforms. For example, the Netherlands-based Luscii is an intelligent remote monitoring and care platform. Several Dutch hospitals and NHS Trusts use it in the UK.

Telepresence robots are an integral part of virtual ward ecosystems, enabling remote clinical teams to interact with patients in a more immersive, real-time and humanised way. They enhance the traditional remote monitoring approach by adding mobility, visual presence and bi-directional communication, extending the hospital's reach into the patient's home or care setting.

Telepresence robots enable decentralised care in hospitals. They can be used by off-site specialists (eg neurologists and cardiologists) to visit patients virtually, doctors can perform rounds across multiple wards without being physically present, and surgeons can consult on procedures remotely using the robot's camera. InTouch Vita, also known as the RP-Vita, by Teladoc (InTouch), is one of the common telepresence robots used in several hospitals across the US.

In a hospital setting, point-of-care diagnostics and mobile imaging devices decentralise care delivery by bringing diagnostics closer to the patient, rather than requiring patients to be moved through centralised departments. They are used mostly in critical or emergency care to speed up diagnosis or decision-making. For example, Siemens’ Atellica® VTLi Patient-side Immunoassay Analyser (to detect high-sensitivity troponin I) or RAPIDPoint® 500e Blood Gas System are used in EDs to minimise patient overcrowding and waiting time.

Mobile imaging devices — including mobile X-ray systems (GE Healthcare AMX Navigate, Siemens Mobilett Elara Max), handheld or portable ultrasound (Butterfly Network Butterfly iQ+, Philips Lumify, GE Vscan Air), mobile CT scanners (Siemens SOMATOM On.site) and mobile MRI units (Hyperfine Swoop MRI) — enhance patient safety by reducing the need to transport critically ill or immobile patients from intensive care units (ICUs) or emergency departments (EDs) to imaging centres. These devices enable bedside imaging, allowing faster diagnosis.

Empowered Patient and Health Partners

This age of the internet has fundamentally reshaped the role of patients in the healthcare system. They are no longer passive care recipients; patients have evolved into active, informed participants in their health journeys. Hospitals with self-service kiosks or in-room tablets allow patients to interactively check in, review treatment plans or learn about their condition. Hospital-integrated virtual assistants or conversational AI provide 24/7 support for basic health concerns and help patients with symptom checking, medication guidance or post-discharge queries. For example, Florence chatbot provides automated clinical conversations via text, providing medication reminders and appointment help to NHS patients.

Secure web-based platforms, or mobile apps that give patients access to their health records, lab results, prescriptions and appointment schedules. Virtual care systems offer real-time access to doctors, therapists and other providers via video or chat.

Some hospitals focus on holistic wellness and introduce digital interventions or gamified behavioural apps to manage chronic conditions or mental health through treatment journeys. In India, Medicover Hospitals has partnered with Lupin Limited (Lupin) to use Lupin Digital Health’s advanced digital therapeutics platform to provide at-home rehabilitation to Medicover’s cardiac patients, thereby improving post-operative rehabilitation and care. This digital therapeutic platform will support patients through remote monitoring and treatment adherence post-discharge.

Predictive Care

Hospitals offer predictive care by integrating advanced data analytics, AI-based diagnosis and real-time monitoring technologies to deliver tailored treatments and anticipate future health risks. CDSSs with predictive analytics help forecast potential clinical events, disease progression, health risks, early detection, targeted intervention and personalised prevention strategies. These technologies have a high impact on EDs and ICUs, where timely decisions are crucial.

AI-based triage tools predict which patients are high-risk, monitor ECG, troponin levels and patient history to predict myocardial infarction risk, monitor real-time vitals, labs and symptoms to flag sepsis risk up to 48 hours in advance, predict ventilation weaning prognosis and acute kidney injury risk. In February 2025, Stanford Medicine received FDA clearance on its ML-based predictive sepsis test. Several other hospitals have developed internal predictive alarm systems, like Mayo Clinic’s AWARE (Ambient Warning and Response Evaluation) or John Hopkins’ TREWS (Targeted Real-time Early Warning System).

Secure Interoperable Health Data Ecosystem

Interoperable platforms can help facilitate real-time data sharing across departments, hospitals or care settings, breaking down information silos for coordinated, personalised care. A secure and interoperable health data ecosystem is essential for patient-centric, precise and predictive care. This requires adopting FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) for API-based data sharing, HL7 v2/v3 for messaging between systems, and end-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest.

A standout example of an interoperable hospital system with strong collaboration is the Carequality–CommonWell Alliance, which enables nationwide health data exchange across competing hospital networks, EHR systems and care settings in the United States. Europe’s secure and interoperable health data ecosystem is anchored by the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and strong privacy legislation (GDPR). This EHDS, launched in 2022 by the European Commission, aims to enable secure, cross-border access and health data exchange across EU member states. It empowers citizens to control their electronic health records while supporting clinical care and for secondary uses like research and innovation.

Smart Sustainable Hospitals

Beyond enhancing clinical efficiency and patient care, future hospitals are focused on minimising environmental impact and optimising resource use. This is through Smart Building Management Systems (BMS), which automate control of lighting, HVAC, water and energy systems, and deploy solar panels, geothermal systems and energy storage solutions. AI can optimise energy usage, predict failures and streamline logistics. For example, Erasmus Medical Center, Netherlands, is energy efficient using thermal energy storage and solar panels and has an intelligent lighting system with motion-sensor technology to adjust based on occupancy and daylight automatically. It uses AI and IoT-based building management systems to optimise temperature, airflow and humidity in real time.

Transition to Smart Hospitals: Need to Overcome Challenges

Data Privacy and Security. As healthcare systems become more interconnected through electronic health records (EHRs), wearables, AI tools and remote monitoring, the volume, sensitivity and vulnerability of patient data also increase. Hospitals should add data privacy and security controls to every digital infrastructure layer. Federated and consent-driven data sharing should be used, with multi-factor authentication. The clinical and administrative staff should be regularly trained on data handling, phishing threats, device hygiene and compliance protocols.

Technology Integration Challenges. Many hospitals rely on outdated systems that do not support integration with modern digital or robotic technologies. Upfront investment in hardware and software may be difficult for smaller hospitals or rural facilities. Even the larger hospitals' leadership may hesitate to invest without a clear return on investment. Physicians, nurses and administrative staff may trust in new technologies or may not be well trained in these new tools. These new tools can interrupt established clinical workflows, adding to the clinical load.

Legacy systems can be modernised with APIs, middleware and HL7 FHIR standards. Cloud platforms can also be used to support scalability and flexibility. Balancing cost with long-term value through phased investments, leveraging public-private partnerships, grants and digital health innovation funds can be ways to invest in upgrading the hospital infrastructure.

Our Perspectives on Way Ahead

Technology-hospital partnership. Hospitals must strategically collaborate with technology partners who align with their clinical and operational ambitions, reducing readmissions, enhancing efficiency or expanding access to care. Beyond tech alliances, hospitals can amplify innovation by partnering with academic institutions, incubators and peer health systems, creating ecosystems of shared knowledge, co-development and continuous learning. By embracing this collaborative innovation model, hospitals position themselves not just as providers of care but as architects of the future health system.

Digital Transformation. To keep pace with the modern healthcare demands, hospitals must embrace digital transformation as a strategic imperative. Beyond integrating wearables, IoT devices, apps, portals or decision support systems, there should be data-sharing through interoperable platforms across departments and institutions, which improves coordination.

Virtual front doors. Hospitals should have patient-centric digital front doors, such as patient portals, mobile apps and chatbots, for 24/7 omnichannel engagement and to empower patients throughout their care journey.

Future-ready smart hospitals will not just treat illness but will champion proactive, holistic wellness, delivering seamless, precise and patient-centric care.

Everest Group is a global research firm that helps business leaders make confident decisions and improve performance through contextualised, action-oriented guidance in technology, business processes and engineering. Its Advanced SciTech (AST) service line delivers applied research on emerging science and technology innovations, exploring both breakthrough developments and the processes that enable effective innovation.

Conflict of Interests

None.

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