Leaders from all across the healthcare industry are readying to descend on Nashville for the ViVE 2023 conference later this month.

While there are plenty of education sessions, keynote speakers and topics driving interest in the event, the focus for many attendees will be on advancements in digital health. As the world continues to transition to a post-COVID reality, the technological capabilities of healthcare organizations, providers and patients will be critical for future success.

Here are four general industry trends that attendees will want to keep an eye on at the conference:

1. Innovations in medical technology and telemedicine

The patient experience continues to lean towards digitization as innovations introduced during the pandemic, like telehealth, show their stickiness.

What some attendees should consider is how pandemic-era health policies and regulation are positioned to handle the health tech advancements that have become a mainstream part of the care journey. 

2. The rise of virtual and augmented reality

Is healthcare going to the metaverse?

Many industry stakeholders are pondering this question as several other industries experiment with virtual and augmented reality.

Could the patient experience move from an in-person doctors office to a slot in the metaverse? Could surgeons practice procedures using a VR headset? Could patients reach a new level of wellness and mindfulness with the same technology? Attendees will be eager to hear from experts about what they can expect in this field going forward.

3. The impact of AI and machine learning

AI continues to be the bell of the ball in healthcare and there will be plenty of discussions regarding the future of this innovation along with machine learning. Both have shown the ability to transform the way healthcare professionals conduct their business and tend to patients.

How they will be leveraged to expand their capabilities in the years to come remains to be seen but will nevertheless be talked about at ViVE.

4. The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT)

Finally, attendees will want to keep an eye out on how the IoT is continuing to be used for a variety of roles in healthcare.

Though not as flashy or new-fangled as AI, ML or VR, the IoT has an important role pushing the industry forward towards a system based on quality, value and outcomes.