HIMSS 2025: Key Conference Takeaways

by Bruno Ferrari

What do we have in common with over 30.000 thousand folks? You guessed it, we attended HIMSS 2025, the largest HealthTech summit globally. We ditched our cowboy hats from a few weeks ago (read our VIVE recap here) to get to Las Vegas. And what was promised was delivered: The event was BIG and packed. From donuts, sundae bars, and puppies to countless incredible sessions and some pretty great conversations, we hope we can continue now it is over.

And just like that, another year has gone by. We came, we learned, and we succeeded. In case you missed it or crave more, we have (tried to) summarized everything everything, so here you go! HIMSS 2025 key takeaways!

AI is still the star of the show.

As expected, AI took the main stage once again, this time with its own brand-new pavilion. But, just like at ViVE, the paradigm shifted. We have already accepted and learned a lot of what AI can and could do. We know its potential. Now, we find ourselves discussing what problems are being solved with this technology, and we are turning our heads to listen to those who have experience implementing said solutions.

Just like Matt Cybulsky - healthcare leader for AI, go-to-market, and design at Ionian Consulting - put it at his session "Halcycon Days Ahead: A New Epoch of Forecasting and Improving Care," we are all already asking the fundamental questions: "When are we going to use it, when is it safe to deploy and what use cases of AI make sense?"

While there’s a great deal of hype surrounding AI, much of it is well-deserved. The technology has already helped the healthcare industry reclaim a more patient-centered approach. By automating bureaucratic tasks, AI has freed up practitioners and clinicians to focus on what they do best—saving lives. However, as part of the broader ecosystem, it’s essential that AI delivers real, tangible value.

“That's the power of AI. We have to change the way we approach using these tools conceptually in order for us to win. There is a fundamental flaw in how we use AI in Healthcare, and that is the idea of efficiency," Cybulsky said. 

Although AI is a powerful tool, it’s important to remember that it is just that — a tool. For it to truly make an impact, it needs to be applied to real, practical use cases in the industry.

"Any solution we look at, my team does a quick vetting of – Is this solving a problem that our organization has stated is a priority and is something that they want us to be looking out for, and/or do we think it could solve a problem that we may not even be aware of?"

Kali Arduini Ihde, Director of Innovation at Northwestern Medicine, said during a panel. 

A perfect example is ambient AI, showcased and discussed throughout the event. Just like it was highlighted at ViVE,  the main goal is to achieve smooth synergy between our day to day tasks and whatever tool we decide to include in our processes. The goal is technology working in the background without getting in the way. As a quick reminder: Ambient AI refers to artificial intelligence that seamlessly integrates into everyday environments, providing intelligent, real-time responses without requiring direct interaction. It anticipates needs and adapts to improve user experience, whether in smart homes, workplaces or healthcare...

The key takeaway is to develop solutions and use cases that address more than just a single problem, while keeping the bigger picture in focus. We must actively listen, identify real needs, and tackle them with a long-term vision.

Cybersecurity & Interoperability in Digital Transformation

Data is Healthcare's gold mine, but we have yet to do everything we could do with it. For the last decade, we have heard the term interoperability, which is still among the most discussed topics at every conference and event. (If you want to know more, check out our article on this.)

The truth is that the need for seamless Health Information Exchange (HIE) is more significant than ever, and this has been discussed in several sessions. Data in Healthcare is complex and fragmented, but it is also a driver for innovation on various fronts. For successful implementation and improved patient care, interoperability must go hand in hand with cybersecurity

At the "Mastering Cyber Threat Intelligence to Protect Patient Safety" session, Michael Gross of Cleveland Clinic and Jon Moore of Clearwater Security shared their view on cybersecurity and what the industry has faced in the last year:

According to the pair, cyberattacks are on the rise, with an average of 2,018 every week, a 32% increase from the previous year.

"The attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated," they shared.

The huge costs - financial and reputational - an attack has on an institution are sometimes not the worst ones. There are some costs that do not reflect in the books.

A recent study, found that over 20% of healthcare organizations saw higher death rates after a major cyberattack. More than half (57%) reported worse patient outcomes, with nearly half facing more medical complications. Delays in procedures and tests were the biggest contributors to these negative outcomes.

How can we take a proactive approach to this?

Moore and Gross suggest spotting patterns by tracking unusual activity, trends, and anomalies. They also recommend assessing vulnerabilities, identifying relevant threats, and prioritizing responses based on risks.

They stressed that long-term cybersecurity strategies are key for staying ahead of evolving threats and securing sensitive data and critical systems.
The rapid adoption of new technologies like Generative AI is clearly benefiting the healthcare ecosystem. However, as adoption increases, so do the potential vulnerabilities. Strong partnerships and security alignment between tech developers, healthcare providers, and government regulators are essential to tackle this.

During his Keynote Meet & Greet - General Paul Nakasone shared some food for thought regarding policies:

"I often say, in the future, I want policy makers who can code and coders who understand policy, so wouldn't it be nice to have clinicians who code?"

HIMSS 2025 Major Announcements, Launches, and Partnerships:

The event served as an ideal backdrop for showcasing the latest innovations and major announcements in the tech space. Below are some of the standout highlights that truly captured our attention.

Data Integration and Enhanced Patient Engagement

  • 1upHealth's Enhanced Platform: 1upHealth dropped a new version of its 1up Platform with a fancy lakehouse architecture that’s built to handle the data overload in healthcare. It's all about better real-time management and analytics.
  • Arcadia & League Collaboration: Arcadia is teaming up with League to bring patient data to their CX platform, giving healthcare orgs the power to deliver personalized health tips and boost engagement with AI and behavioral science.
  • Google Cloud just dropped some next-gen GenAI features in Vertex AI Search for healthcare, including Visual Q&A—a search feature that eats tables, charts, and diagrams to give a fuller patient health picture. Cool, right?
  • Wolters Kluwer Health's UpToDate Integration with Microsoft Copilot Studio: By merging evidence-based patient content with Dragon Copilot for ambient listening, this integration enhances point-of-care workflows for healthcare professionals.

AI-Powered Healthcare Solutions

  • Microsoft's Dragon Copilot: This new AI assistant combines Dragon Medical One’s voice dictation with DAX Copilot’s ambient listening, this helps Docs to automatically generate everything from notes to referral letters.
  • InterSystems: InterSystems unveiled IntelliCare, an AI-powered EHR that lets you talk to your system like a boss (think natural language commands, auto-summarized patient history, and real-time note generation).
  • Suki's AI Clinical Documentation Assistant at Rush University: Rush University System is going full throttle with Suki’s AI clinical documentation assistant across all specialties. That’s 28 specialties generating patient summaries and simplifying coding. Sounds like efficiency on steroids.
  • RevSpring's SeatMate AI Assistant: RevSpring introduced SeatMate, an AI assistant to make customer service reps smarter, guiding them through scripts, enhancing conversations with patient insights, and powering up self-service with chat capabilities.
  • Notable’s Next-Gen Flow Builder: Notable launched the next-gen Flow Builder, now with an AI-powered assistant, real-time data visualization, and custom role-based access controls. Automation just got a glow-up.

Healthcare Communication and Workflow Optimization

  • Zoom Workplace for Clinicians: The beta launch of this platform introduces automatic visit note generation for both virtual and in-person consultations, simplifying documentation for healthcare providers.
  • eClinicalWorks and PointClickCare: eClinicalWorks can now chat seamlessly with PointClickCare in long-term care settings—think remote check-ins and bedside physician encounters all connected.
  • TigerConnect's Pre-Hospital Solution: TigerConnect is rolling out its Pre-Hospital solution, a game-changer for EMS, ED, and transfer workflows. It’s all about improving patient throughput and prepping for better outcomes.
  • Salesforce Agentforce for Health: Salesforce rolled out Agentforce for Health, a library of pre-built agent skills to handle everything from benefits verifications to provider search and care coordination, all with a sprinkle of AI magic.

Clinical Decision Support and Credentialing

  • Elsevier’s ClinicalKey Expansion: Elsevier is expanding its ClinicalKey AI decision support system, now with integrations to Epic and iPrescribe, plus a shiny new mobile app.
  • Medallion upgraded its automated credentialing and compliance tools to meet Joint Commission standards, making workflows and hospital applications smoother than ever.
  • Symplr's AI Evidence Analysis Chatbot: This new AI tool is designed to speed up clinical research, streamline medical device decision-making, and assist health plans in simplifying their tech choices.

Patient Monitoring and Health Insights

  • Withings Smart Scale Data: Withings dropped some insight on 3.4M smart scale users, revealing that 38% of those labeled as “overweight” by old-school BMI standards might not actually be, thanks to new criteria. (Spoiler: a lot of normal BMI folks had hidden metabolic risks.)
  • Kontakt.io's Kio Agents: Kontakt.io added Kio Agents to their Responsive Care Operations platform—helping prioritize patient flow, manage assets, and predict bottlenecks. It’s like having an AI assistant with a crystal ball.

Final thoughts


During this trip, I had the privilege of meeting Dael Stewart, our Managing Director for North America, in person. Dael is an exceptional colleague with incredible knowledge and insights on strategy, sales, and business in general – no screens, just real talk! We had a great time catching up and discussing various topics. We both agree: HIMSS was big, loud, and fun, setting the record for this year.

Our presence wasn't just about soaking up industry knowledge but actively contributing to the conversations shaping Healthcare's future. We loved reinforcing once again that we are on the right path to impact people's lives. 

Managing Director North America, Dael Stewart and our Head of Innovation, Bruno Ferrari

And hey… If you attended, please let me know… Did you find Waldo?...