The HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition is always a highlight in the healthcare calendar, bringing together the brightest minds in health information and technology. This year’s event did not disappoint, offering groundbreaking insights, actionable strategies and a shared vision for the future of healthcare.
From advanced AI applications to the latest cybersecurity challenges, HIMSS 2025 showcased the innovation and resiliency required to tackle the evolving landscape of healthcare delivery.
Here are some of this year’s most compelling takeaways and thought-provoking discussions:
Harnessing AI to Revolutionize Healthcare
A key theme across many sessions and exhibits was the pervasive influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on every facet of healthcare. HIMSS CEO Hal Wolf succinctly highlighted the sentiment with his challenge to attendees, “Find 10 booths that don’t mention AI.” The resounding focus on AI emphasized how integral it has become to improving care delivery, administrative efficiency and patient outcomes.
Notable Applications Presented at HIMSS 2025
Clinical Support
Sophisticated AI-powered tools are transforming clinical decision-making. From Samsung Medical Center’s contactless care solutions during SARS and COVID-19 to their DARWIN (Data Analytics and Research Window for Integrated Knowledge) platform, AI demonstrated its ability to reduce redundancies, streamline workflows and enhance caregiver focus.
Administrative Efficiency
McKinsey’s findings that 30% of all healthcare administrative tasks could be handled by AI highlight the $130 billion potential savings in the industry. Solutions like Humata’s prior authorization platform showcased how AI reduces inefficiencies, speeds approvals and enhances resource utilization.
Cyber Resilience & Risk
With rising global cyber threats, the importance of AI in cybersecurity was at the forefront. Rural hospitals, identified in a HIMSS report, face significant risks due to limited budgets and longer recovery times in breaches. AI-powered tools are stepping in to monitor, protect and prevent catastrophic impacts, with leaders calling for more standardized cyber frameworks.
The key takeaway? AI is no longer optional. It is the driving force behind more efficient, scalable and innovative healthcare systems.
Human-Centered Design in Digital Transformation
Another poignant takeaway this year revolved around balancing technology and humanity. Leaders from Samsung Medical Center, one of the few HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 organizations in the world, emphasized that successful digital transformation stems not from technology alone but from understanding and respecting the workflows of clinicians and patients. Their homegrown SMCIS (Samsung Medical Center Information System) went through a significant redesign, adopting an agile approach and tailoring features to the end users’ needs.
Lessons Shared by Samsung Medical Center
- Respect and involve end users in design processes to ensure adoption and usability.
- Avoid feature overload by striking a balance between flexibility and robust functionality.
- “Choosing what NOT to do is more important than choosing what to do,” shared Meong Hi Son, reflecting the importance of scope prioritization.
With patient experiences at the heart of their strategies, Samsung Medical Center demonstrated how human-centered systems can drive better outcomes. Their PRISM patient user interface and integration with DARWIN enabled real-time access to actionable insights, reducing nurse burnout and optimizing care delivery.
Highlights from the FinThrive Podcast Series
The recent FinThrive live podcast series brought an exciting buzz to our booth, sparking meaningful conversations and offering unique insights into the innovation driving FinThrive. As we prepare to launch these engaging episodes, here’s a sneak peek at the standout discussions:
John Landy, CTO, FinThrive
At FinThrive, cybersecurity is more than a priority—it’s a commitment. John shared how our investment in cybersecurity exceeds industry benchmarks set by Gartner, ensuring our customers’ data remains secure. He also highlighted our bold steps into AI, exploring how language models can unlock deeper insights into patient and payer interactions. This forward-thinking approach positions FinThrive as a leader in driving innovation across the healthcare economy.
Greg Surla, CISO, FinThrive
Greg tackled the pressing reality of cyber threats, emphasizing the importance of constant stress-testing and robust business continuity planning. With a dedicated team and a strong collaboration with HIMSS, we stay ahead by integrating the latest best practices in cybersecurity to protect our clients and their patients.
RELATED: Choosing the Right Cyber Resilient RCM Partner
Phil Sobol, CereCore
Phil shared his excitement for the Revenue Cycle Management Technology Adoption Model (RCMTAM), an innovative tool redefining RCM technology. By enabling organizations to assess their technology maturity and pinpoint gaps, RCMTAM is setting the stage for more strategic and informed decision-making in revenue cycle management.
Jill Brewer, HIMSS Research
Jill spoke about the powerful results of our collaboration with HIMSS, which led to two impactful research studies focusing on RCM technology adoption and cyber preparedness. These studies revealed critical differences in priorities across hospital roles and highlighted the unique challenges smaller organizations face in building robust cybersecurity strategies.
Caleb Anderson, Athena
Caleb explored the potential of automation in clinical workflows, sharing his enthusiasm for agentic AI. He emphasized how automating repetitive RCM tasks can free up healthcare providers to focus on what truly matters—patient care.
These discussions capture just a fraction of the forward-thinking conversations that define FinThrive. Stay tuned for the full podcast releases as we continue to lead the way in transforming healthcare through innovation, expertise and collaboration.
The full podcasts will delve deeper into these subjects, so stay tuned!
Cybersecurity Challenges for Healthcare Organizations
Cyber resilience was a critical highlight this year, fueled by sobering statistics around the frequency and impact of cyberattacks in healthcare. On average, hospitals experience 18 days of downtime, with daily revenue losses reaching $1.9M. These risks are multiplied for rural hospitals with limited funding and technical capabilities.
Key takeaways and proposed solutions from cybersecurity panels included:
- The separation of disaster recovery and cybersecurity plans to better address evolving threats like ransomware
- The growing importance of collaboration between vendors, regulators and providers to increase transparency and operational preparedness
- Partnerships like Microsoft and Starlink’s initiative to provide connectivity and redundancy for rural hospitals, ensuring they can maintain claims submissions and revenue streams
The dialogue was clear: no organization is immune to attacks. Transparency, proactive monitoring and collaborative partnerships are not just recommended but essential moving forward.
Big Ideas from Disruptive Technology Keynote
The keynote on disruptive technologies provided a vision of the road ahead for cyber, AI and beyond. Former USCYBERCOM leader Paul Nakasone drew parallels between technological innovation and military strategy, emphasizing the urgency for infrastructure and workforce transformation within healthcare.
Key Focus Areas
AI’s Role in Diagnosis
Diseases like cardiac arrest remain underrepresented compared to oncology solutions, pointing to untapped opportunities in diagnostics.
Workforce Empowerment
The lack of digital natives in healthcare poses challenges for scaling AI and cybersecurity frameworks. Bridging this gap with robust training in machine learning and data science is vital.
Infrastructure Readiness
From advanced chips and massive datasets to efficient energy use, achieving AI’s full potential relies on establishing the right technological foundation.
These initiatives require collective action, investment and forward-thinking leadership to create a system that leverages innovative technologies while securing them against inherent vulnerabilities.
Health Equity and Accessibility Remain Paramount
One of the more inspiring aspects of the event was the collective commitment to health equity. Hal Wolf strongly emphasized that HIMSS’s mission is to advance the global health ecosystem and ensure every individual has equal access to healthcare. This was echoed in every discussion, bridging the gaps between technological innovation and human-centered care.
The advancements in telehealth, low-cost digital solutions and mobile care delivery showcased at HIMSS stand as a testament to what’s possible with the right partnerships and priorities.
Looking Ahead
HIMSS 2025 reaffirmed its stance as the go-to event for healthcare leaders and innovators alike. From AI’s growing importance to addressing cybersecurity gaps, the event tackled today’s most critical challenges, offering solutions that pave the way for a stronger, more efficient and inclusive healthcare ecosystem.
As attendees look to execute on the insights gained and trends identified, one thing was clear across the board: Transformation is inevitable. Whether you’re a technology vendor, healthcare executive or clinician at the bedside, HIMSS reminded us that advancing together is the only way forward.
