Technology in health care, led by artificial intelligence and robotic surgeries, is set to take a giant step forward in 2025 as the industry prepares for transformative change.

Innovation is at the forefront as hospital providers look to improve patient experiences, manage professional workloads and capture the potential of emerging technologies. Personalised medicine – where identified individual biomarkers can improve care outcomes – is improving, with cancer treatments breaking new ground in survival rates.

However, that comes at a cost, and is likely to remain out of reach for the majority with basic health insurance coverage. Drugs utilising monoclonal antibodies to treat some cancers can cost more than $1 million.

Understanding a patient’s genetic profile can help doctors prescribe the most effective treatments to speed up recovery and increase chances of survival, while prevention remains the greatest weapon in health.

The biggest challenges facing health professionals and healthcare groups in 2025 appears to be the ability to keep pace with the lightning rate of change.

How to upskill staff to manage emerging new technologies is one potential hurdle, with costs an obvious other.

Regulatory demands

Dr Mohaymen Abdelghany, chief executive of Fakeeh University Hospital, Dubai, said regulation could pose further delays in fast-tracking the latest treatments.

“Integrating new technologies like AI and robotics requires substantial investments in infrastructure, staff training, and interoperability solutions,” said Dr Abdelghany.

“Workforce shortages remain a pressing issue, with increasing patient demand and clinician burnout particularly affecting specialised fields.

“Regulatory hurdles for emerging technologies, including AI applications, may delay their implementation.”

Virtual health is also evolving into comprehensive ecosystems, combining telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, and AI-supported consultations for better chronic disease management. Meanwhile, breakthroughs in biotechnologies, such as gene editing and mRNA platforms, promise highly targeted therapies for complex and rare conditions.

At Fakeeh University Hospital, a Smart Clinic integrates in-person consultations with advanced telehealth services.

It allows patients to see family medicine doctors for routine care and access specialists through digital pods equipped with cutting-edge telehealth technology.

Pods use connected health devices to transmit real-time physiologic data – such as blood pressure and glucose levels – to hospital specialists for accurate diagnoses without the need to commute.

Dr Mujtaba Ali Khan, group chief clinical innovation officer at Burjeel Holdings, said understanding which technology to invest in and where, were some of the biggest challenges ahead.

“You have to have clarity in what you're trying to achieve,” he said.

“Are we just implementing a technology for technology's sake or does it have a real purpose?

“It has to be patient centred, with a collaborative method that's going to really integrate our front line doctors and nurses to be part and parcel of that conversation.”

Burjeel hospitals are looking to implement a technology called ambient transcription, activated at the time the physician enters the consulting room.

It listens in to key interactions between physician and the patient and transcribes that using a generative AI.

If the doctor is saying this patient has a specific set of symptoms, it documents everything accurately and then recommends the next steps.

Aster DM Healthcare is another major medical group looking to future-proof its operations and make health services affordable to all.

The company has already introduced a health insurance plan to suit the needs of an ageing generation, providing affordable cover for those looking to retire in the UAE.

Aster’s chairman, Dr Azad Moopen, said 2025 will see further developments in improving access to health care.

“Specialty drugs and advanced therapies are becoming increasingly expensive, which makes affordability a barrier to many,” he said.

“Telehealth services offer a promising solution, especially in remote areas, provided there is a concerted effort to improve digital literacy and infrastructure.”

By adopting energy-efficient practices and focusing on climate resilience, the GCC region has an opportunity in 2025 to lead by example and develop a sustainable model of health care for the future, he said.

“Sustainability should not be viewed as a peripheral concern, but as an integral part of healthcare's future,” said Dr Moopen.

Home treatments evolve

Elsewhere, DIY preventive care in the home is proving a big growth market in health and wellness and looks set to continue into 2025.

According to Statista, the health and wellness retail market in the UAE was valued at $2.75 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $3.7 billion by 2025.

While cosmetic procedures such as Botox, teeth whitening and aesthetic surgeries will continue to have their place, a focus has shifted to more preventive treatments.

The longevity industry is set to continue growth in the new year, while at-home wellness hacking is another booming growth market.

The UAE’s fitness market has seen a considerable increase in the number of boutique and budget fitness centres open for business.

But it is the at home recovery and maintenance solutions offering new consumer options.

One of those is red light therapy (RLT), a restorative treatment that can relieve soreness, joint and muscle pain as well as add cosmetic improvements to skin health.

Bon Charge is an Australian based company looking to expand into the Middle East and capitalise on demand, and has developed a range of products from infrared sauna blankets, to blue light blocking specs and RLT devices.

“There are two major factors in red light therapy going into the home,” said Andy Mant, who established the company with his wife, Katie.

“Number one was, was the pandemic.

“People decided that rather than going to salons, they could use their personal space to do these amazing treatments and therapies.

“The other thing is the cost, with disposable income becoming increasingly tighter.

“When you use a red light therapy device at home, within two or three sessions, you can pay for that device.”

RLT works by turbocharging the body’s ‘power plant’ – the mitochondria in cells that create energy to function.

With more energy, other cells can get to work more efficiently, boosting growth and repairing damaged areas.

Hand held devices cost about $150, but entire red rooms dedicated to RLT used for recovery by professional sports teams or rehab centres for the elderly can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“When you spend a lot of time outside, you're naturally getting red light therapy,” said Mr Mant.

“In the modern day, many people stay indoors and are not really getting any of that sunlight.

“Their only option now is to kind of bio hack the environment that they're in.”

At home dentistry is another trend expected in 2025.

First Response Healthcare was one of the first clinical providers to offer licensed at home-care in Dubai for paediatrics and other health services.

It is now expanding to offer rapid response at-home dentistry, within 45 minutes of call-out.

“Our Dentist At-Home Service is designed to make dental care accessible to everyone, especially those with unique healthcare needs,” said Pavan Sharma, chief executive and managing director at First Response Healthcare.

Big tech invests in health

While smaller, boutique tech companies are breaking out into healthcare markets established giants like Apple continue to innovate and add new diagnostic applications into everyday products.

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 headphones now have a clinical-grade hearing aid feature, authorised by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.

It allows hearing tests to be conducted through an app from the comfort of home, with results gleaned in minutes.

About 1.5 billion people around the world are living with hearing loss, according to the World Health Organisation, with untreated hearing loss related to an increased risk of social isolation and dementia.

“The convenience of conducting a hearing test through a user-friendly app can streamline the diagnostic process, enabling quicker interventions and tailored treatment plans,” said Dr Lubaina Sharafally, an audiologist at the American Hospital Dubai.

“This technology empowers individuals to take control of their hearing health, and fosters collaboration between patients and healthcare providers to improved outcomes for the hearing-impaired population.”