In 2024, consumer technology and health technology intersect to focus on patient-centric innovations, said Antoine Robilliard, Vice President of Health Solutions at Withings Mobi Health News.
Robiliard expects 2025 to bring AI-enabled advancements, market consolidation and increased adoption of home care technologies. He also says that mergers and acquisitions will become essential to drive innovation, maintain competitiveness and deliver seamless and impactful healthcare solutions.
Mobile Health News: What are some of your big takeaways from 2024?
Antoine Robilliard: In 2024, the lines between consumer tech and health tech continue to blur. Devices traditionally viewed as fitness or wellness tools – such as smart watches, scales and connected monitors – are now becoming an integral part of healthcare systems. The rapid adoption of health-focused features, such as ECG and blood pressure monitoring capabilities in everyday devices, demonstrates this convergence.
Furthermore, connected health devices enable medical measurements that were previously only available in clinical settings, to be performed conveniently at home. This transformation enables individuals to monitor their health in real-time and share useful data with healthcare providers.
It’s no longer just about collecting data; It’s about leveraging that data to get actionable health insights. This includes seamless integration with healthcare systems, enabling early detection of problems, personalized care plans and improved patient outcomes.
The future of health technology lies at the intersection of accessibility and innovation, making health management an integral part of our daily lives.
Patient experience has evolved from being a supplementary consideration to becoming the cornerstone of health technology innovation. Companies are prioritizing user-friendly interfaces, improved accessibility, and personalized health journeys to create solutions that truly resonate with patients. From setup to ongoing use, technology must meet patients where they are – Whether it’s through intuitive designs, multilingual support, or incorporating motivational features that maintain long-term engagement. This shift reflects the broader industry movement toward patient-centered care, with an emphasis on empowerment, better adherence, and improved health outcomes.
Introduction and adoption of APCM [Advanced Primary Care Medicine] Symbols by Content management system [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] It is a game changer in health technology. These rules, which will come into force at the beginning of 2025, underscore the growing focus on at-home health monitoring and remote care. The codes focus more on ensuring that patients with chronic conditions benefit from continuity of care rather than on a specific number of minutes spent with the patient.
By creating financial incentives for health care providers to adopt these technologies, CMS is stimulating the shift toward advanced primary care services, with the shift to support longitudinal relationships between primary care providers and patients. This move underscores the role of connected devices and services in chronic condition management and preventative health, paving the way for innovation and broader adoption in 2025.
Professions: What are some of the biggest surprises/noteworthy events of the year?
Robilliard: One notable moment was Apple announcing major advances in healthcare: integrating sleep apnea detection into the Apple Watch and exploring hearing functionality with AirPods. These innovations highlight the tech giant’s continued push into healthcare, underscoring the growing trend for technology companies to expand their presence in the health and wellness industry.
Professions: What do you think will happen with digital health financing in 2025, and why?
Robilliard: In 2025, digital health financing is likely to increasingly focus on well-capitalized, established players as the market consolidates around a handful of dominant players. This trend reflects the continuing maturity of the industry, as investors prioritize stability, proven business models and scalability at the expense of speculative or early-stage ventures.
Consolidating financing into a smaller number of larger companies will simplify the market, reduce fragmentation and enable easier adoption and integration of solutions by both consumers and healthcare providers. This streamlined environment is expected to promote standardization across platforms and services, improve interoperability and create a more cohesive and seamless user experience. In addition, dominant players will leverage their resources to accelerate Innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, remote patient monitoring and personalized care, strengthening their position in the market.
However, while the focus may shift towards established players, companies that disrupt technology will always attract funding. Revolutionary ideas that challenge the status quo, provide groundbreaking solutions or open entirely new opportunities in healthcare will continue to attract the attention of investors willing to take risks for high potential rewards. This dynamism ensures that innovation remains a driving force in the digital health landscape.
Professions: Will mergers and acquisitions still be a big part of the digital health space next year?
Robilliard: Yes, mergers and acquisitions are likely to remain an important part of the digital health space in the coming year, and are increasingly essential to the industry’s evolution. Many small players in the market struggle to achieve long-term viability due to limited resources, challenges of expansion, and high costs of competing in a crowded and highly regulated landscape. M&A activity provides these small companies with a lifeline, enabling them to integrate into larger, more established organizations that can provide the financing, infrastructure, and market access needed for their solutions to thrive.
For larger companies, acquisitions represent an opportunity to strengthen their portfolios, expand into new markets, and accelerate innovation by integrating cutting-edge technologies and talent from startups.
As the digital health industry continues to mature, mergers and acquisitions will not only remain prevalent, but will also become a strategic necessity to foster innovation, ensure competitive advantage, and meet the growing demand for seamless, interoperable, and impactful health solutions.
Professions: How do you see the position of AI in healthcare changing in 2025?
Robilliard: In 2025, the place of AI in healthcare will likely evolve from being a buzzword to a more tangible force and influence as organizations shift from talking about AI to actively implementing and scaling its applications. Right now, AI is getting a lot of attention, but the gap between hype and practical deployment is still wide. By 2025, we expect to see more organizations working to bridge this gap, focusing on real-world use cases where AI can deliver measurable value.
The primary role of AI is likely to revolve around two core areas: enhancing patient support and reducing workflow burden on healthcare providers.
For patients, AI will play a crucial role in providing intelligent insights that enable individuals to better manage their health.
For healthcare providers, AI will focus on automating repetitive tasks, streamlining administrative workflows and enabling clinical decision support with tangible, actionable insights.
Furthermore, as trust in AI systems grows and regulations surrounding their use become clearer, we are likely to see broader adoption of AI in areas such as population health management, drug discovery, and even surgical assistance.
While challenges such as data privacy, bias in algorithms, and integration into existing workflows remain, the potential for AI to transform healthcare by making it more efficient, personalized, and proactive is undeniable.
Ultimately, while every company talking about AI in healthcare today will not deliver on their promises, the companies that succeed will lead the next wave of innovation, proving that AI is not just a buzzword, but a transformative tool for the future of healthcare.
