Top 5 Digital Health stories of 2025

Digital health continues to reshape how people connect with care — breaking down barriers of distance, time and access in ways that were once unimaginable. In 2025, those advances moved from promise to practice, with new technologies helping patients get care faster and using data to make more informed decisions. OSF HealthCare, through its OSF OnCall digital health arm, has been able to reach communities that have long been underserved. From artificial intelligence and virtual care to immersive technologies and smarter data use, OSF OnCall continued to push health care forward.

These are the Top 5 digital health stories of 2025, in no particular order.

From crisis to confidence: Patient praises new OSF 24/7 primary care – Marci Schneider Batsakis of Orland Park, Illinois was the first patient enrolled in OSF CompleteCare 55+, a new hybrid model of primary care in Evergreen Park, using virtual visits and digital connections to help older people get fast access to providers and stay on top of their health. Schneider Batsakis called the round-the-clock care team number when her blood pressure became dangerously high and that led to timely treatment in the hospital, follow-up support, and a care plan tailored to her needs.

OSF HealthCare receives $1.5 million for new mobile pregnancy and postpartum care unit An OSF OnCall Connect mobile van will offer doorstep service as an extension for women on Medicaid enrolled in a pregnancy and postpartum digital support program. Meridian and Centene Foundation provided $1.5 million in funding for the van to operate in maternity deserts in 12 Illinois counties.

OSF HealthCare offers another layer of monitoring for moms and babies – OSF HealthCare launched 24/7 virtual labor monitoring to enhance in-person care with AI technology. AI software alerts OSF OnCall Acute OB nurses to potential risks, enabling quick coordination with staff at Family Birthing Centers at hospitals across the OSF HealthCare Ministry. This is part of a broader effort to reduce mortality rates among women and babies which remain high compared to other wealthy nations. As part of that effort, we also opted to extend to all patients in the I-80 region, regardless of payor, a Medicaid program for virtual visits and digital support. The area has lost a number of OBGYN providers.

Skip the wait with new OSF OnCall virtual exam visit – OSF OnCall Urgent Care walk-in clinics can get busy, especially during the winter with respiratory viruses. So OSF HealthCare installed new technology in urgent care clinics, allowing patients to do in-office virtual visits and bypass the waiting room. Visitors to the OSF OnCall Urgent Care can get accurate testing and diagnoses using digital tools and an on-screen OSF medical provider.

OSF HealthCare using virtual ER to cut patient wait times – OSF HealthCare is using an innovative approach to help reduce wait times in the emergency departments at OSF HealthCare Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa and Peru. Patients who meet certain criteria will be given the option to divert to a virtual medical exam through the use of advanced technology and an onsite nurse.

Top 5 OSF Innovation stories of 2025

As we kick off a new year at OSF HealthCare, we’re looking back at 2025 and the big steps we took to make it easier for patients to access care and health information. Working alongside our academic and business partners, we continued to tap into shared expertise and use artificial intelligence in thoughtful, responsible ways — always guided by what’s fair, appropriate, valid, effective and safe (FAVES).

Those efforts are reflected in our Top 5 OSF Innovation stories of 2025, listed in no particular order.

OSF HealthCare named one of America’s Most Innovative Companies – Fortune recognized OSF for its innovation culture and forward-thinking approach, highlighting digital and AI-driven advancements transforming care delivery. OSF first received this distinction in 2023.

OSF Innovation brings VR beating hearts to life for safer surgeries – Thanks to a breakthrough at OSF Innovation, surgeons can “see” their patient’s heart beating in 3D before ever stepping into the operating room. For surgeons, the benefits are game-changing. They can see not only the anatomy but also how it changes with every beat. This is especially critical for conditions such as hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, where the problem lies in how the heart contracts. Even more surprising, the AI began rendering valves — structures notoriously difficult to see on CT scans.

An OSF inventor collaborates to help kids play safely through cancer – Exercise physiologist Nick Kemp collaborated with OSF Innovation Studio to design Port Guard that protects the central venous access port for kids with cancer who want to play and stay active. Seven-year-old Amaneigh Stevenson, pediatric cancer patient, was part of testing and declared, “It makes me feel safe. I love it a lot.”

OSF developing app to diagnose migraines sooner and more accurately – For millions of people living with migraine headaches, getting the proper diagnosis can take years, sometimes even decades. A new digital tool developed by a team at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP) and OSF HealthCare aims to change that by helping primary care and other first-contact healthcare providers to identify patients with migraine quickly and accurately.

Decoding your DNA to prevent disease – Using innovative genetic testing, OSF HealthCare stepped farther into personalized medicine in 2025, with a pilot to allow people to be tested with just a swab of their cheek for genetic mutations to determine if someone is at high risk of any of 10 major diseases. So called polygenic testing is not yet covered by insurance but for someone with a a family history of heart disease, cancer or Alzheimer’s, this $250 test could provide some early warning signs and better yet, early intervention.

OSF OnCall leaders realize many colleges of nursing faculty and students are just getting back to the classroom the end of the month of August, so they've extended an early bird registration deadline for its first-ever OSF OnCall Digital Health Symposium October 16.

The digital health arm for OSF Healthcare offers full-scale digital health and convenient care options for using digital health platforms and software to connect people with care 24/7. This immersive conference brings together digital health experts, clinicians and leaders to discuss current trends, program development and implementation, and the future of digital health care.

The event will be held at Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center, an accredited facility for improving patient care. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), have certified education and training at the center to provide continuing education for health care teams. This symposium was planned by and for health care teams. Learners will receive 6.50 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change. 

A woman behind one of the Top 100 health blogs to follow in 2024 is the keynote speaker at this conference to explore innovative solutions to enhance patient care. Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, a health economist, advisor and trend spotter known for her Health Populi blog will provide an update on the state of digital health on the local, state and national level. 

The event will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 16 at Jump at 1306 N Berkley Ave in Peoria, Illinois.

Enjoy an engaging panel discussion moderated by OSF OnCall Senior Vice President Jennifer Junis, “Building a quality structure to drive clinical excellence in digital health.”

The patient’s voice will be front and center during a fireside chat. After lunch there will be a variety of break-out sessions with practical takeaways including:

·         Building capacity and engagement with a digital hospital

·         Creating capacity with virtual hospitalist models

·         Five hundred miles of intensive care (how digital intensive care supports bricks and mortar care)

Plus, ambulatory care sessions including:

·         Chronic disease management with remote patient monitoring

·         Saving moms and babies: improving prenatal care via 24/7 digital access and clinical partnering with OB/GYN

·         Virtual urgent care

And, we’ve added FRANC talks, the OSF OnCall version of TED talks – short, engaging presentations with compelling content and storytelling.

“We learned so much at the recent American Telemedicine Association Nexus 2024 convention in Phoenix and we wanted to continue the conversations,” said Junis. “There are so many possibilities to transform how we care for our patients; using AI to help identify patients at risk, leveraging telemedicine for specialist care, enlisting remote monitoring and digital health tools to facilitate real-time communication between patients, caregivers, and health professionals to promote timely interventions and more coordinated care.” Junis added, “We can learn from each other, while always recognizing each community and each patient we serve is unique.”

Registration includes breakfast and lunch. Wrap up the day with a cocktail reception for networking and fun!

Register NOW for $250 and get your discount.

*Registration is $300 after August 30.

Registration closes October 9. 

Most people would rather be in their own bed than in the unfamiliar surroundings of a hospital room and experiencing anxiety that can often come with a hospital stay.

OSF OnCall, the digital arm of OSF HealthCare, launched its Digital Hospital in August. At launch, eligible patients with certain conditions who end up in the Emergency Department at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria could be admitted to the OSF OnCall Digital Hospital where they receive hospital-level care in the comfort of their own home. Now, OSF OnCall is expanding this care to include patients who have been admitted to a larger variety of OSF Saint Francis inpatient departments, including those transitioning out of ICU, with more continuing to be added. Eligible patients must meet medical, geographic and insurance requirements.

Pam Anderson of Morton was eager to try the Digital Hospital program almost immediately. Anderson works a part-time job at a moving and storage business and lives with her retired husband, Mike. She has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and atrial fibrillation. The day after Thanksgiving, Anderson woke up and was having trouble catching her breath. Her oxygen level had fallen to about 80%. She was sent to the Emergency Department at OSF Saint Francis.

Once she was stabilized and admitted, the next day Anderson was approached about transferring into the Digital Hospital. She was immediately sold. By the time she returned home after discharge, a team had set up the equipment, technology and supplies she needed, including oxygen. An OSF OnCall Mission Partner (employee) walked her through using the equipment. Anderson, who describes herself as not computer literate, says everything was so easy to use.

Easy-to-use technology

“The phone … you don't dial it. You just pick it up and it rings directly to the (digital health) center. And once you do that, then somebody will appear on the iPad. So, if you do need something, you're actually speaking to someone (you can see). You're not just talking on the phone. And, they're extremely prompt in answering. So there really isn't, in my opinion, a lot of technology involved. Thank heavens,” Anderson says with a laugh.

Anderson never had to use that phone in the middle of the night, but she was comforted knowing she could and that she would be instantly connected. Patients also wear a bracelet with a button they can press to be connected immediately to a care team member. Readings Anderson took on her own from a blood pressure cuff or pulse oximeter went directly to caregivers and her electronic health record. Anderson says she felt, “completely connected and safe.”

Her schedule for the day appeared every morning on the tablet, which is provided to individuals admitted to the OSF OnCall Digital Hospital. She laughs about actually looking forward to the twice-daily visits from nurses who checked her medication, took vitals, and made sure she was on the road to recovery, all while smiling and sharing laughs.

“The nurses and aides are absolutely fabulous. They're friendly; they're well informed. They explain everything to you. Always cheerful. I mean I absolutely adored them. I missed them when they were no longer coming.”

Home-delivered meals

Like other patients who’ve been able to qualify for the at-home admission, Anderson says it was great to be home with her three dogs and husband and to have three meals a day delivered right to her door from the hospital kitchen.

“I found the food really good. So yeah, that really worked out nice also. My husband doesn't really know how to cook much. He tries but he's not very good at it. So that was absolutely ideal.”

Anderson says at-home hospital care is easier on family and friends because there’s no need to worry about navigating hospital parking or bad weather. She recalls her in-laws and friends casually stopping by for short visits because it was so easy. And then there’s the ability to sleep so much better – all wins for Anderson who is fully recovered and back at her part-time job.

“I think a lot of times with illness, your frame of mind also helps. And I think this just puts you in a more positive frame of mind and I think you recover sooner. You're more relaxed. You're not worried. ‘When am I going home? When am I going home?’ You're already there!,” Anderson says as she smiles widely.

OSF OnCall Digital Hospital also provides other clinical services typically delivered in a hospital such as physical, speech and occupational therapy and IV infusion services. It helps keep bed space available for those who need it most. That was a lesson reinforced during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals were strained to capacity. Research reveals hospital-at-home programs also reduce hospital readmissions and can reduce care delivery costs by as much as 30%.

OSF OnCall leaders say the goal is to continue to increase the average daily Digital Hospital patient count at OSF Saint Francis, and then expand to other hospitals and medical centers in the OSF HealthCare Ministry.

Video clips with OSF OnCall Digital Hospital patient Pam Anderson of Morton

OSF OnCall Digital Hospital B-roll

A year ago, 84-year-old Jim Stickelmaier of Metamora almost died from a series of heart attacks. His wife Karen, a former nurse, had to talk him into going to the emergency department at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. It was a close call but doctors were able to save him. In late July, Stickelmaier had another scary health threat. One morning, his breathing became so labored that he didn’t resist when Karen called an ambulance to rush him to the hospital.

Stickelmaier had COVID-19-related pneumonia. X-rays showed fluid on both sides of his lungs, a telltale sign of congestive heart failure. But, with treatment, Stickelmaier responded well and was quickly stabilized.

It turns out he was a perfect candidate for the new OSF OnCall Digital Hospital program that provides supportive hospital-level care, but at home. Stickelmaier was the first patient admitted to the recently launched program and he’s a believer.

“I had my own bed to be in. I have my easy chair to sit in. I have my wife and my daughter with me to keep me company and they didn't have to worry about driving through all the traffic. It was really a good deal.” 

Paul Moots, MD, medical director of OSF OnCall Digital Hospital, says the program currently only involves select patients seen in the OSF Saint Francis Emergency Department (ED). Candidates have to be 18 or older, live within 30 minutes of the hospital and have Medicare as their insurer.

Dr. Moots explains patients will typically have conditions that might require a three or four day hospital stay, such as heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – nothing that would require a lot of medical interventions.

Think of it as a return to the house call – only with a lot more equipment and meal delivery. A special team outfitted Stickelmaier’s living room with portable oxygen (in case he needed it), a tablet for video calls and electronic bracelet he wore for safety and instant contact with his care team. There were also Bluetooth devices to monitor vital signs that sent data automatically into his electronic medical record.

Equipment is set up based on the patient’s unique needs. Dr. Moots says the standard set-up offers safety and comfort through constant connectivity.

“The patient will have a personal safety device that will allow them to contact the command center, even if they’re not able to reach the phone. We’ll have a back-up electricity device in their home and we’ll have internet connectivity provided by the digital hospital.” 

Software at the OSF OnCall Digital Hospital command center in downtown Peoria can identify potential candidates so ED doctors at OSF Saint Francis don’t have to. Cassie Worrick, an advanced practice provider (APP) who helped screen Stickelmaier in the ED and cared for him at home, says she uses screening tools to evaluate a patient’s ability to manage the in-home care instructions, and to know whether they have some type of nearby support.

“They do not necessarily have to have someone living with them, absolutely not. Of course, we take into account if there’s any cognitive impairment and what that might look like. Mobility issues and what that might look like. But, it’s all on an individual basis and what makes sense.” 

Before the program launched August 2, Digital Hospital operations and care teams were given a stress test of sorts during five weeks of training at Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. Worrick says the effort simulated various scenarios using specially-trained actors filling in as patients.

“OSF has done a wonderful job, setting us up for different situations, knowing how to tackle everything, so that when we had our first patient, it was really smooth which, I think was from practicing all the ‘what ifs.’”

Each patient’s personalized schedule outlines days and times for in-home visits from the care team, such as a physical therapist, a nurse to deliver IV fluids and when needed, a night nurse to check on the patient. Worrick says APPs try to accommodate the patient’s lifestyle so, when possible, the care team schedules visits around a patient’s sleep schedule and favorite activities.

Karen Stickelmaier felt relieved not being entirely responsible for her husband’s care. Instead, OSF OnCall caregivers provided an IV and other medication, and they made sure Jim received breathing treatments as prescribed. The couple welcomed the frequent visits from his care team members who called before they came in-person and who made sure it was a good time for a virtual visit with the physician overseeing Jim’s care.

“I'm pleased to say that we had such a remarkable group of people that come in here and they were so happy. You know, and we were happy. We were looking forward to (sic) … if they said they were going to come at 2:30, they were out here changing into their, you know, everything (protective clothing). So they could come in here and we really enjoyed just having them here. They did a wonderful job.”

How hospital care at home began

The early work for the Digital Hospital program started as part of a Trailblazer challenge for OSF Mission Partners (employees) who researched more advanced home care as an idea to improve a patient’s experience and recovery. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and OSF Innovation used that research to quickly set up and scale a program to reduce the stress on hospital capacity and medical providers. It also allowed monitoring and treatment for people in their homes. In the first three months, OSF was among the few health systems in the country with a program that leveraged technology and cared for more than 100 patients without forcing them to seek treatment for COVID-19 at a medical clinic or hospital.

Suzanne Hinderliter, director of Digital Care Development for OSF OnCall, said that rapid rollout provided valuable insights.

“We learned a lot about taking care of patients in the home and how valuable it was to meet the patients in their home and give them care where they were, make them feel comfortable and safe and provide a really good experience, help them manage their care because in the end, these patients are going to need to manage themselves and manage their care and their chronic diseases and medications throughout the rest of their life. And so we're there to help make that possible in their home to ensure that we're decreasing any barriers that they have.” 

Later in the pandemic, the federal government recognized the benefit of offering hospital-level care at home and designed regulations and reimbursement for the services provided under Medicare. OSF eventually paused its novice program to allow OSF Innovation to research and validate the best technology and support service providers such as Boston-based Medically Home – a leader in care-at-home programs. Innovation teams worked with OSF OnCall leaders to coordinate pharmacy needs, meal service and delivery, imaging and transportation, along with diagnostic tools and monitoring.

Looking to create a high-tech, high-touch effort, OSF designed a robust Digital Hospital initiative to meet or surpass new regulations and launched the reimagined program.

Hinderliter says telehealth leaders continue encouraging federal lawmakers to support legislation to ensure the program’s future. Meanwhile, OSF OnCall leaders continue planning to extend Digital Hospital care to other patients, including those recovering from surgery, as it also considers expanding a Digital Hospital program for other hospitals within the OSF Ministry.

“I think we've invested in this as a program moving forward and knowing that this is going to be valuable in the way of the future,” says Hinderliter. “We always have to be looking at the next thing and how can we make the care better for our patients? How can we take care of patients in a different way?”

Research shows patients recover faster, and there are fewer hospital re-admissions and hospital-acquired infections with Digital Hospital programs. Plus, its estimated hospitals can save up to 30% in costs, which could translate to lower bills for patients. At the very least, individuals who qualify can receive the same high-quality care and better sleep than in a hospital.

Jim Stickelmaier agrees and says being at home is the best medicine he could receive.

“I would say definitely try it. I think they’ll find out that it was a lot easier and a lot nicer to be at home than in the hospital.” 

Jim and Karen Stickelmaier, the first Digital Hospital patient

Dr. Paul Moots, medical director of OSF OnCall Digital Hospital, Cassie Worrick, APP Digital Hospital, Suzanne Hinderliter, director of Digital Care Development for OSF OnCall

Digital Hospital B-roll