Wolters Kluwer Experts Forecast Deeper Healthcare AI Penetration in 2026, Enabled by Momentum in Workflow Integration and Governance

The 2026 prediction report spans health AI tech, ecosystem thinking, and new tech for the next generation of healthcare professionals

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With 2026 fast approaching, the healthcare sector is poised for the next stage of gains in AI adoption. Predictions point to increasingly strategic implementation of productivity enablers as well as advancements in clinical decision making technology that connect clinicians with better answers to care for their patients. To highlight what obstacles and opportunities in healthcare technology lie ahead in 2026, leading experts from Wolters Kluwer Health share their outlook on an array of health tech topics in the 2026 predictions report.

Cutting through the AI hype, the new report offers a balanced look at what’s ahead and what it will take to implement a more resilient future in healthcare technology. Read a selection of healthcare AI predictions from the CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health below and see the full report for more than a dozen predictions spanning several key themes:

• Upping the governance game: Shadow AI (the unauthorized use of AI tools by employees within an organization) is a bigger issue than most healthcare organizations realize.
• Ecosystem thinking drives success: Partnerships and workflow integration avoid isolated deployments.
• Workflow optimization accelerates everywhere: From nurses to medical research, to AI tools at the point of care and prior authorization.
• Compounding compliance: Popular GLP-1 medications put a spotlight on compounding pharmacies working to meet demand while ensuring USP compliance.
• Clinical surveillance tech is on FHIR: Infection prevention gets a boost with FHIR data exchange; drug diversion becomes a prerequisite in 2026 AI budgets.

Greg Samios, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health, takes a strategic look at two dimensions where healthcare AI will be having substantive influence in 2026:

Where is GenAI growing in the healthcare ecosystem?
“Clinical grade generative AI (GenAI) can be a trusted copilot when embedded in daily workflows, rigorously validated, protected by guardrails, and infused with expert-in-the-loop oversight. Looking ahead to 2026, the ecosystem will continue to witness GenAI’s ability to automate documentation, synthesize clinical notes, surface care gaps, and streamline clinician-patient communications at scale.”

How do you transform GenAI from a tech tool to a partner in healthcare?
“As shadow AI increases in prevalence in 2026, clinicians should turn to purpose-built GenAI systems that are trained on expert-validated evidence, transparent with source citations, and capable of tailored recommendations. GenAI will provide an increase in staff efficiency and care quality, but we must preserve safety and clinician-patient relationships by reframing workflows that elevate GenAI from a tool to a partner, keeping patients at the center of care.”

Read the full report on 2026 healthcare AI and technology predictions authored by Wolters Kluwer Health experts.

For more information about Wolters Kluwer, please visit: www.wolterskluwer.com.

About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information, software solutions and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2024 annual revenues of €5.9 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 21,600 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

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