Care gaps in healthcare pose significant challenges. Healthcare systems around the world face mounting pressures from staff shortages and growing patient demand, making it increasingly difficult to ensure timely access to quality care for all. However, the Future Health Index 2026 report from Philips offers encouraging evidence that technology is finally giving clinicians time back. Now in its 11th edition, the report draws on the perspectives of more than 2,000 healthcare professionals and 20,000 patients across 10 countries, including the United States.
This article explores what the latest findings mean for closing care gaps in healthcare, and where remote patient monitoring fits in.
Addressing Care Gaps in Healthcare With Remote Health Technology
Healthcare organizations continue to expand remote patient monitoring solutions to bridge care gaps in healthcare. What began as a pandemic-era workaround is now a standard part of chronic disease management, post-operative care, and senior care programs, supported by established Medicare reimbursement pathways and a maturing connected device ecosystem.
Remote patient monitoring enables care teams to track patient health status outside of clinical settings, allowing for proactive intervention and improved health outcomes. Research continues to show that remote monitoring reduces unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department visits, which matters most in communities where specialist access is limited and every avoidable admission strains an already stretched workforce.
Giving Clinicians Time Back
The most striking theme of the Future Health Index 2026 is time. According to the report, nearly two-thirds of clinicians (65 percent) have increased their use of AI-enabled tools provided at work, and close to half (46 percent) report saving at least 132 hours per year on average. That is the equivalent of more than three full working weeks returned to each clinician.
That reclaimed time translates directly into capacity. Half of clinicians surveyed say they can now see more patients, roughly eight more per week on average. For health systems grappling with burnout, low morale, and persistent staffing shortages, this is exactly the kind of relief that helps close care gaps in healthcare.
Remote patient monitoring plays a complementary role. By streamlining workflows and automating the flow of patient vitals from the home to the care team, RPM reduces administrative burden and frees clinical staff to focus on the patients who need attention most. The Philips report also found that half of clinicians experience less stress and better work-life balance as a result of these tools, a benefit patients feel through higher-quality interactions.
The Rise of the Hybrid Care Team
The Future Health Index 2026 describes an emerging “hybrid care team,” in which technology supports clinicians and patients while human judgment remains central to care. More than 90 percent of clinicians say keeping a human in the loop is essential as AI advances, a reminder that these tools extend care teams rather than replace them.
Patients are becoming active partners in that team. Nearly three-quarters of clinicians (74 percent) report that patients now arrive at consultations already informed by AI tools, and most view informed patients as integral to the future of care delivery. Remote patient monitoring is a natural fit for this model: daily readings from connected devices give both the patient and the care team a shared, objective picture of health between visits.
Digital Literacy for Patients
Many individuals still lack access to proper medical care, and these gaps reveal a wide divide in health equity in America. An important component of digital and remote healthcare is creating opportunities for people who have historically been left out.
Remote technology means patients may need to use medical devices they have never used before. Even as more patients arrive at appointments informed by digital tools, the divide remains real for older adults, rural communities, and households without reliable broadband. This is where remote health companies must meet patients where they are. Cellular-connected devices that work out of the box, plain-language training materials, and digital literacy programs all help ensure that the patients who stand to benefit most from remote monitoring are not the ones left behind.
Delivering Better Care for More People
As the Philips Future Health Index 2026 report underscores, closing care gaps in healthcare requires a multifaceted approach that pairs innovation with human judgment. By combining remote patient monitoring with AI-enabled workflows and data-driven insights, healthcare leaders are working toward a future where people everywhere can access quality care, regardless of their location.
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