Growth Opportunities for Advanced Information & Communications Solutions in the Healthcare Vertical

Description

Digital Communications and Collaboration Tools Will Underpin Care Delivery

Healthcare systems today are facing a convergence of pressures that threaten both operational stability and patient outcomes. Workforce shortages, clinician burnout, rising costs, and persistent health inequities are compounded by the growing demands of an aging population with complex needs.

These challenges are not isolated-they interact and intensify, creating a high-stakes environment that demands smarter, more connected solutions. Modernizing the communication infrastructure is central to overcoming these issues.

Effective communication is the backbone of care coordination, enabling timely decision-making and collaboration across departments and care settings. Without it, delays in treatment, staff overwhelm, and compromised quality of care become inevitable.

Healthcare organizations must prioritize technologies that streamline workflows, support continuity of care, and empower frontline teams to deliver safer, more efficient services.

Technology is rapidly reshaping how healthcare organizations manage communication, with a clear shift toward integrated, cloud-enabled platforms. Legacy systems are increasingly seen as barriers to efficiency, prompting investments in mobile devices and apps, secure cloud-based paging, and mass-notification systems. These tools are essential for accelerating response times, improving coordination, and supporting real-time collaboration across clinical and administrative teams.

This study explores how healthcare organizations are prioritizing investments in unified communications and collaboration (UCC) technologies to improve care delivery, streamline workflows, and enhance patient outcomes. It analyzes IT decision-makers' perspectives on current challenges, future technology adoption, and the role of AI, cloud, and managed services in transforming healthcare communications. The research also highlights budget trends, deployment models, and purchasing criteria shaping the future of digital communications in the healthcare vertical.

Product Code: K870-64

Research Objectives, Methodology, and Definitions

Research Objectives and Methodology
Total Sample Respondent Demographics and Size of Organizations
Technology Definitions

Key Trends to Watch, 2025

The Case for Connected Care: Why Communication is Critical to Healthcare Transformation
Key Trends in Healthcare IT
Value-chain Partnerships Will Enhance Care by Delivering Point-of-use Insights and Optimizing Breadth of Services
Enhanced Ways of Working and Workforce Engagement
Digital-first Network for Convenient and Affordable Care
AI-optimized Financial, Operational, and Administrative Workflows Will Reduce Non-medical Cost of Care

Summary of Key Data Findings

Quick Take: UCC Solution Adoption in the Healthcare Vertical

IT/UCC Investment Status

Companies Are Bullish on Future Investments to Improve Efficiency
Not All Communications Will See Growth as Behaviors Change
Investments Track with Usage and Perceived Value
Companies Continue to Focus on Next-Gen Technology
Not All Hospital Processes Will Get the Same Investment
Outpatient Health and Social Services Are Focused on Compliance

IT/Telecom/UCC Deployment and Usage Challenges

Healthcare Providers Face Multiple Communications Challenges
Communications Challenges Impact Departments Differently
IT Departments Face Significant Challenges in the Coming Years
CPaaS and API-enabled Communications Bring their Own Issues
Nursing & Inpatient, and Administrative & Financial Workflows Need Transformation
Residential Care and Social Services Struggle With Inefficiencies

The Use of AI in Communications

AI is Most Likely to Improve Information Management and CX
Customer and Workforce Analytics, Agentic Solutions Are Key
AI Integration is Crucial Across Collaboration Tools
AI Capabilities Are Table Stakes for Plurality of Organizations

Drilldown on Telephony

Organizations are Leveraging Hybrid Solutions
Well-integrated Hybrid Will Remain the Top Deployment Choice
Functionality, Compliance, and Security Keep Companies On Prem
Integration and Security Are Key Areas for Managed Services
Customizations and Network Optimization Are Next

Workspace and Work Styles

Remote Workers Will Increase in the Future
Improving the Digital Experience Remains a Top Priority

Mobility

Mobile Calling is Very Important to Healthcare Organizations
Compliance and Security Are Top Priorities for Mobile Calling

Meeting Spaces

More Organizations Use Two or More Meeting Services
ITDMs Are Happy With the Number of Providers they Have
All-in-one Collaboration Boards, Webcams Top Tech in Use Today
Ease Of Use Tops Scalability, Security, and Price
In-room Controls and Noise Cancellation Top Features Lists
AI-Driven Meeting Rooms Are Increasingly Important

UCC Budgets & Purchasing Decisions

Reliability, Broad Portfolio, and Cost Are Critical Buying Factors
Companies Want to Reduce Solution Management Costs
Healthcare Organizations' Spend On Communication Solutions Varies
Overall Budgets Will Continue To Increase
Companies Are Looking At Significant Spending Changes