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Wolters Kluwer Health, in collaboration with independent research firm Ipsos, has released the 2025 Future Ready Healthcare Survey Report, shedding light on healthcare professionals’ perspectives regarding generative AI (GenAI) and its potential in addressing critical challenges in the sector. While GenAI is viewed as a transformative tool that could alleviate workforce pressures and other systemic issues, many organizations remain unprepared to adopt it effectively.

The survey indicates strong enthusiasm for leveraging GenAI to mitigate pressing concerns such as staffing shortages, clinician burnout, high operational costs, and increasing administrative demands. Respondents expressed optimism that GenAI could drive innovation and efficiency across healthcare enterprises.

Despite this optimism, the report underscores a significant gap between organizational ambitions and their readiness to deploy GenAI effectively. For instance, although 80% of respondents listed workflow optimization as a top priority, only 63% felt prepared to utilize GenAI for this purpose.

GenAI holds promise as a catalyst for immediate improvements in healthcare operations and as a strategic enabler for long-term sustainability. However, the report warns that without a coordinated approach to standardizing, scaling, and implementing GenAI, organizations risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Greg Samios, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health, emphasized the importance of developing strategies that address both immediate operational challenges and the need for advanced digital capabilities to maintain competitiveness.

Key findings from the survey include:

• Staffing and workforce challenges remain central: 85% of respondents cited recruiting and retaining nursing staff as a priority, while 76% highlighted reducing clinician burnout.
• GenAI as a solution for existing pain points: Respondents identified key areas where GenAI could address persistent challenges, including prior authorization processes (67%), EHR management (62%), cybersecurity readiness (68%), and support for telehealth programs (65%).
• Expectations of innovative uses: Clinical staff expressed interest in expanded GenAI applications, such as ambient listening, clinical decision support, and assistance with communication and documentation.
• Limited organizational guidance: Only 18% of respondents reported awareness of formal organizational policies on GenAI use, and just 20% had received structured training.
• Concerns over implementation: More than half (57%) expressed apprehension that overreliance on GenAI could weaken clinical decision-making skills, while 55% were concerned that GenAI’s role in diagnoses might introduce ambiguity in patient-facing decisions.

Dr. Peter Bonis, Chief Medical Officer at Wolters Kluwer Health, stressed the need for organizations to acknowledge both the current limitations of GenAI and its anticipated development trajectory. He also highlighted the importance of aligning GenAI applications with clinical and financial objectives and integrating them into existing workflows. Establishing strong governance frameworks, he noted, will be critical for successful implementation.