Hospital executives look back at 2025

This year was a complicated one for providers, from tariff threats and research funding changes to the rise of AI.

Experts spoke with Healthcare Brew about the biggest standout moments and trends for providers in 2025.

These responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Ophir Klein, executive director of Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s and executive vice dean of Children’s Services, Cedars-Sinai

This year has brought continued evolution in child healthcare, from how hospitals deliver care to how they use technology and work with payers and staff. Researchers and clinicians are striving to work closely together to move discoveries from the lab to the bedside. This collaboration speeds up the adoption of new approaches in inherited and acquired conditions, helping clinicians provide faster, more effective care for complex conditions.

Use of artificial intelligence is becoming a regular part of practice, and it will inevitably evolve into a fundamental component for all areas of healthcare—from clinical decision-making and diagnostics to hospital administration, education, and patient engagement.

Broader trends are also shaping the field, with payers increasingly tying reimbursement to outcomes and quality instead of volume, prompting a focus on data-driven results. Workforce pressures remain, as recruiting and retaining pediatric specialists, nurses, and advanced practice providers continues to be challenging. Flexible scheduling, workforce pipelines, and targeted incentives to maintain care quality can help, but the underlying supply issues remain.

Beri Ridgeway, chief of staff, Cleveland Clinic

One of the most significant developments was the adoption and widespread implementation of AI technologies. For Cleveland Clinic, the use of ambient listening technology has been transformational for our clinicians.

We have also seen an enhanced focus on addressing the unique needs of women in midlife and beyond. At Cleveland Clinic, we marked the one-year anniversary of our Women’s Comprehensive Health and Research Center with our first women's health forum.

Finally, 2025 saw continued growth and expansion of health systems to meet the evolving needs of patients. This includes both physical expansions, acquisitions, and new models of care and access.

Lisa Stump, EVP and chief digital information officer, Mount Sinai Health System, and dean of information technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

As I look back on 2025, one theme stands out: the growing demand for data, automation, and artificial intelligence in healthcare. With an aging US population, persistent workforce shortages, and rising expectations for access and quality, the pressure on our health systems has never been greater.

Enter AI. The pace of technology development this year has been nothing short of breathtaking. Innovations that once felt futuristic are now at our doorstep, and the urgency to implement, integrate, and adopt these tools is real.

One of the biggest game changers of 2025 was ambient voice technology. What started as a promising tool for physicians has expanded rapidly into nursing and other clinical disciplines. This shift is more than a tech upgrade—it’s a transformation in how clinicians interact with data and documentation, freeing time for what matters most: patient care.