Technology is transforming occupational health at a dizzying pace, and insight into what’s coming next can prepare employers to invest in new technologies and use cases to support workers. We asked two experts, Dr. Leslie Cadet, Founder of ASCEND Occupational Medicine Consulting, and Larry Earl, President and CEO of the National Association of Occupational Health Professionals (NAOHP), to share their predictions for the top technology innovations that will shape occupational health in the second half of 2025.
1. AI Will Drive Improved Patient Experience and Health Outcomes
Across industries, reducing documentation burden is a top use case for artificial intelligence (AI). Healthcare professionals have already started making use of AI for clinical note documentation to save time and prevent burnout, but Cadet says the rapidly evolving technology has benefits for patients as well.
Recognizing the potential of AI to enhance clinical interactions, Cadet sees it as a promising tool to reduce administrative burdens and improve patient care. The impact of this shift is especially valuable in occupational health, a field where patients are often under pressure to recover quickly. “If a worker has been injured and can’t earn his livelihood, he’s already upset. If he gets the feeling his doctor isn’t paying attention to him, that further pushes him over the edge,” Cadet said. “When doctors don’t have to put all our effort into documenting the encounter, we have more time to educate the patient and build the human connection that’s so vital to recovery.”
Provider attentiveness has a substantial impact on patients’ quality of care; another factor that AI can facilitate is timeliness. AI triage tools can help clinicians assess patients to determine the appropriate next steps; for example, whether an injury would be better treated at an emergency room or an urgent care clinic. “The ‘Triple Aim’ goal for healthcare is having the right care in the right place at the right time,” said Earl. “Support from AI can help move care along faster and more appropriately, improving health outcomes for patients and helping them return to work more quickly.”
2. Wearable Technology Will Reduce Injury Rates
When many of us hear “wearable technology,” we first think of smartwatches and fitness trackers. But according to Cadet, wearable technology has a role to play in reducing injury during physical labor. Sensors worn on the hip, back, or arm can alert workers when they are doing a repetitive or potentially unsafe movement. Sensors have also found a home on smart helmets, which can monitor workers’ vital signs and fatigue levels, track changes in environmental factors such as temperature, and detect falls or long periods of inactivity to alert supervisors to a possible incident. Seemingly more futuristic are exoskeletons and powered gloves, which provide physical support during heavy lifting or repetitive tasks. While published data on the efficacy of these devices is currently limited, these technologies are poised to decrease the prevalence of workplace injuries and limit the severity of those that occur.
3. Analytics Will Guide Workplace Safety
Another avenue by which data can reduce workplace injury risk is analytics. Earl shared that NAOHP often performs workers compensation claims analyses, looking at all claims from a company’s employees over a two-year period to identify patterns. “If we see a lot of a certain type of injury, maybe there’s something wrong with a production line that we can fix,” Earl explained. “Maybe you’re hiring people who aren’t strong enough to do a certain job. These analyses can identify ways to make the workplace safer or have individuals coming into that workplace better prepared to manage the physical demands.”
AI, wearable technology, and advanced analytics are poised to drive change in occupational health. As employers work to improve workplace safety and productivity, keeping abreast of the new technologies and use cases to emerge in 2025 will empower them to support employee health and wellbeing.
To keep up to date on the technologies transforming occupational health, click here.