As healthcare heads into 2025, one thing is clear: the future won’t be shaped by any one factor alone. From evolving staffing models to robotics-assisted care, it’s a convergence of innovation and collaboration that will redefine how care is delivered.

In a compelling webinar hosted by Dr. Adam Brown, Chief Medical & Marketing Officer of Radiant Healthcare, and Dr. Cole Edmonson, CEO of Nurses on Boards Coalition, the two leaders shared a wide-ranging conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare systems. With over 30 years of nursing leadership under his belt, Dr. Edmonson brought an informed, grounded, and hopeful perspective on the future of healthcare delivery.

From Burnout to Breakthrough: The Workforce Challenge

While the nursing shortage often dominates headlines, Dr. Edmonson urged attendees to think more broadly. The workforce gap spans nurses, physicians, allied health professionals, and even support staff like environmental services and unit clerks. Without a full team, no provider can function effectively.

Staffing is more than numbers—it’s also about flexibility. Dr. Edmonson advocates for a shift from the outdated “top of license” model to a “top of competency” approach, where professionals are empowered to practice at the full extent of their skills. This mindset promotes more dynamic care teams and reduces inefficiencies.

Technology: Help or Hindrance?

Artificial intelligence, ambient technology, robotics, and virtual care are offering exciting possibilities—but they also bring risks. Nurses, for example, spend up to 60% of their time on documentation and up to 25% on supply management. Technology designed without clinical input can add to the problem, not solve it.

The takeaway? Tech must serve people—not the other way around. Design with the clinician in mind, and technology becomes an enabler of better care, not a source of burnout.

Robots on the Roster

One of the most tangible examples of helpful tech is robotics. Edmonson highlighted “Moxy,” a robot used to handle routine logistics like supply runs and room setup. On a neurosurgical unit, this freed up 2.5 hours of nursing time per shift, allowing more time for patient interaction and critical thinking.

This is what real innovation looks like—solving a practical problem while improving care quality and staff satisfaction.

Reimbursement Shapes Reality

Another key topic was the financial pressure of looming Medicaid cuts and funding shifts, which directly affect staffing models and access to care. These financial realities are pushing health systems to rethink how—and where—care is delivered. For Dr. Edmonson, these aren’t roadblocks—they’re catalysts for innovation.

Partnership Over Procurement

Dr. Edmonson emphasized a crucial point: healthcare organizations don’t need more vendors—they need true partners. Successful collaborations align on mission, speak the same language, and commit to solving shared challenges. Whether it’s with staffing agencies or tech providers, relationship-building is now a strategic imperative.

A Hopeful Look Forward

Despite all the pressures—economic, operational, and emotional—Dr. Edmonson remains hopeful. The future he envisions includes:

• Diverse, collaborative care teams

• Clinician-designed technology

• Virtual care and robotics integrated into daily workflows

• Financially sustainable models with deeper patient and family engagement

It won’t be easy, but as he put it: “Healthcare is resilient. We adapt, and we move forward.”

Final Thoughts

If healthcare is to rise to the demands of 2025 and beyond, it must think systemically. This means rethinking roles, embracing technology wisely, and building true partnerships that center people and patients—not just processes.

This conversation with Dr. Brown and Dr. Edmonson is a powerful reminder: the future of care isn’t coming. It’s already here—and we get to shape it.