News: AI to surpass telehealth in healthcare investment priority

Artificial intelligence (AI) investment could surpass that of telehealth in the next three years, according to a study performed by Philips. While nearly 64% of healthcare leaders in the survey said they’re currently prioritizing investing in telehealth, 80% said that AI will be a financial priority by 2024.

The study shows the rapidly growing importance of virtual healthcare offerings. While telehealth and AI in healthcare has been increasing steadily for the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified its adoption.

The Phillips study is the largest global survey of its kind, featuring clinical insights from nearly 3,000 healthcare leaders across 14 countries.

While the study shows the overall increased priority of technology in the healthcare setting, it highlights the growing adoption of predictive technologies such as AI and machine learning. The survey also found environmentally sustainable healthcare is becoming of increased importance to healthcare leaders.

Sustainability grew in global health leaders’ priorities from 4% today to 58% in 2024. This movement towards environmentally conscious healthcare is especially important in the United States, as its healthcare industry is responsible for roughly 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Editor’s note: The Philips study can be found here.