Recent Digital Health Trends, Insight and News - June 2025
Discover what AI advancements, research findings, and more took place this month.
Warmer weather equals more activities, BBQs and busier schedules. It can make it challenging to keep up with emerging digital health trends. However, not to worry, because we’ve got you covered.
We’ve compiled the top digital health news that took place in May, so you don’t have to miss a beat. Learn about major multi-million dollar acquisitions, AI's role in cancer care and musculoskeletal conditions, and a major FDA approval for women’s health.
Technology, News and Insights
Microsoft Unveils AI Agent Orchestrator for Cancer Care Coordination
The tech giant, Microsoft, recently added its oncology-focused agent orchestrator to their Azure AI Foundry Agent Catalog. An agent orchestrator is a system that enables multi-AI agent collaborations. Think of it as a controller that directs all of the other AI agents on how to complete a task or shared goal, with each having its own unique capabilities.
Within cancer care management, this Microsoft tool could help reduce administrative hurdles and streamline work. AI orchestrators can enhance interoperability across workflows, review complex EHR data, construct chronological patient timelines, and even determine cancer stages.
Read the full MobiHealthNews article here >>
Medbridge Builds out AI Motion-Capture Technology to Enhance At-Home MSK Care
It’s projected that over 120 million Americans struggle with musculoskeletal conditions, and only about 40% complete in-clinic physical therapy sessions. To combat poor treatment adherence, the digital patient care and clinician education company Medbridge is expanding its artificial-intelligence-powered motion-capture technologies.
Their MSK platform, Pathways, allows patients to complete therapeutic exercises on their computer or mobile phone, monitored by AI. The device's camera will use Medbridge’s proprietary motion capture tool to identify body positioning, document the number of completed repetitions, and more. It’ll then send this information to clinicians, making it possible for them to observe progress, revise treatment plans, spot challenges, etc., all while the patient remains at home.
Read the full Fierce Health article here >>
Virtual Pulmonary Rehab Effective for High-Need COPD patients
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has proven to decrease hospital readmissions and improve quality of life. However, is delivering this form of therapy via telehealth a good fit for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?
One study evaluated whether virtual PR is safe and effective for patients with COPD who require supplemental oxygen, compared to those who do not. Researchers discovered that of the 167 patients included in the study, 83% completed the 8-week program, and 99% experienced no adverse effects. They also noted that there were no remarkable differences between those receiving oxygen and those who weren’t, with both groups showing improved clinical outcomes.
Ultimately, researchers concluded that patients who are oxygen-dependent can safely participate in virtual pulmonary rehabilitation programs.
Read the full TechTarget article here >>
Policy and Regulatory
Teal wins FDA Approval for At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Device
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Teal Health’s Teal Wand, the first at-home self-collection device for cervical cancer screening. This prescriptive product is designed for patients aged 25 to 65, who’d prefer to use an end-to-end telehealth service over visiting a doctor’s office for screening. Many women find in-clinic appointments uncomfortable and inconvenient, so this device could attract those who would otherwise avoid or postpone screening.
The product is set to begin shipping in California in June and will expand nationwide afterward.
Read the full MedTechDive article here >>
Can Digital Tools ‘Make America Healthy Again’? CMS Asks Public
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking the public's input on how technology can contribute to making America healthier. They’re requesting information from technology developers, patients, caregivers, providers, and payers through June 16.
Some of the information they’re gathering includes how to:
Decrease barriers that hinder the uninterrupted exchange of information
Reduce administrative burden
Shift toward value-based care
Grow interoperability
And other topics that are mentioned in the full article
Read the full Beckers Hospital Review article here >>
Industry Conversations
NIH Program Aims to Reduce the Use of Animals in Research Using Technology
Thanks to emerging technologies, such as tissue chips and in vitro systems, researchers are now better equipped to study health and disease using human information. In response to this, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recently launched the Office of Research Innovation, Validation and Application (ORIVA).
ORIVA will increase funding and training in non-animal testing and help coordinate agency-wide efforts to scale non-animal methodologies across their biomedical research portfolio. This will provide scientists with more opportunities to utilize computational models to replicate biological human systems and drug interactions, assess real-world data, and explore other applications. The goal is to use human data to drive innovation, enhance healthcare outcomes, and develop more effective treatments.
Read the full MobiHealthNews article here >>
Virtual Depression and Anxiety Programs Prove Effective But Costs Vary Wildly, PHTI Finds
The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), a third-party organization that conducts independent evaluations of healthcare technologies, has recently assessed remote solutions for anxiety and depression. PHTI noted that all 15 of the digital solutions they observed for those mental health conditions had a positive impact on symptoms and led to clinically meaningful results.
From an economic standpoint, they shared that per million members:
Prescription digital therapy decreased spend by $8.7 million
Self-guided solutions lowered spending by $3.6 million annually
While clinically beneficial and cost-saving, there’s an opportunity for increased engagement, especially amongst vulnerable groups.
Read the full Fierce Healthcare article here >>
Growth, Funding and Innovation
WellTheory Raises $5M for AI-enabled Autoimmune Care Platform
WellTheory, a virtual care platform for individuals with autoimmune diseases, has recently secured $5 million in funding. They plan to use the funds to develop AI technology for members and providers more quickly and go into the employer and health plan markets.
The company also launched two new AI tools: Care Hub and Care Scribe. The Care Hub functions as a unified command center for providers. It’ll help to collect lab insights and member data, perform automated compliance checks, and streamline pre- and post-session tasks, among other things. Care Scribe, on the other hand, is an AI assistant that can draft follow-up notes, form customized care plans, transcribe discussions, and more, for care teams.
Read the full MobiHealthNews article here >>
Teladoc Acquires UpLift for $30 Million
Uplift, a company that offers virtual mental health and medication management services to the health plan market, has been acquired by Teladoc. This acquisition expands Teladoc's digital health toolkit, enabling it to enhance its consumer-driven virtual therapy business, BetterHelp.
BetterHelp customers can now access their insurance coverage benefits through UpLift, which has arrangements covering over 100 million lives. Plus, therapists working with BetterHelp may have the opportunity to be included in their benefits coverage network.
Read the full Healthcare IT News article here >>
OpenLoop Resources & News
Can Telehealth Be Used to Treat Alcohol Use Disorder?
Despite there being treatment available for alcohol use disorder (AUD), very few people actually implement it. In addition, excessive drinking is on the rise amongst some groups, signaling a growing need for better interventions.
Virtual care delivery may be a solution to addressing poor treatment adherence and an expanding AUD patient population. Plus, it allows individuals to remain discreet and comfortable in their own homes. The article shares a few ways that telehealth could be utilized for those with AUD.
Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>
How Can Labor Unions Benefit from Telehealth?
Employees desire greater convenience and more affordable healthcare services, and labor unions may have an opportunity to offer them both. Collective bargaining organizations hoping to increase and retain members should consider providing virtual care solutions.
This article sheds light on how telehealth could strengthen a union’s value proposition, improve members' health, and more. With union memberships declining, telehealth could prove beneficial in helping to turn things around.