2025 iCare Year in Review

Another year is about to come to a close in just a matter of hours. As I reflect on the 2025 year at iCare, I also cannot help but remember how iCare started 10 years ago. Ten years ago, hospitals, health systems and practices were feverishly implementing electronic health records (EHRs) to meet the federal requirements of HITECH's (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Meaningful Use Program. Now in 2025, we are advancing again, even more rapidly into more complex digital health tools. 

The daily emphasis on the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare can feel quite overwhelming to anyone in the healthcare space. Healthcare delivery is a human experience that is supplemented with technologies to improve the ability to deliver standardized high quality care. 

Over the past year, I have noticed more and more nurses and healthcare professionals "tuning in" to the role of technology in nursing and healthcare more astutely than I have noticed in past years. I see this as a good sign. 

In November, I spoke to the Florida Organization of Nurse Leaders as their Opening Keynote for their annual conference. During that talk, I emphasized how we each have a role in influencing the future direction of the nursing and healthcare profession. However, to influence the future direction, we must be knowledgeable about what is coming and what we want the profession to be in the years and decades to come. 

Technology will be with us. However, it should and can be designed to support care. Additionally, there are likely new ways we can leverage technology for nursing and healthcare that were not previously available. 

This is where the human expertise becomes critical... What data, information, knowledge and wisdom do you seek out on a regular basis? What do you not have access to that you wish you did to support healthcare? 

I have several ideas and they are often driven from my own experiences (and frustrations!). 

I saw a video today about the Y2K warnings that many of us lived through as we transitioned from December 31st 1999 to January 1st 2000. There was widespread headlines, panic and overall concern about what would happen the next day. I see similarities from that time with today's emphasis on the anticipation of how AI will (or won't) impact nursing and healthcare. 

One thing is for certain and that is that the focus of healthcare is on a human, not a robot or an algorithm. Every human deserves individualized approaches toward care. 

I believe we can continue to create digital tools that support nurses and healthcare professionals while maintaining the essence of care. However, this will require active participation on a regular basis from as many nurses, healthcare professionals, and patients as possible. 

Wishing you all the best as we move toward 2026!

Sincerely, 

~ Dr. Kelley