The pandemic changed healthcare almost overnight. Suddenly, in-person appointments gave way to video consultations, online check-ins, and app-based triage. While many worried this shift would be temporary, it’s now clear: telehealth is here to stay, but not as a standalone solution. The future is hybrid.
Blending virtual care with face-to-face services offers a more flexible, efficient, and patient-centred model. It’s not about replacing traditional care, it’s about reimagining it. Let’s explore what the latest research, real-world examples, and expert views reveal about this evolving model.
Why hybrid care makes sense
In-person appointments still matter. Physical examinations, diagnostics, and urgent or complex cases often need that human, hands-on element. But for routine follow-ups, medication reviews, mental health support, or long-term condition management, remote healthcare can be just as safe and effective.
According to Black Book Research (2025), 82% of health systems in the United States now use integrated virtual care platforms. These often include remote patient monitoring, AI-enabled triage, and secure messaging, all of which help reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and improve continuity of care.
The NHS is seeing a similar trend. In the UK, digital-first services like Livi have reduced GP waiting times and helped triage non-urgent cases without overwhelming clinicians. This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about capacity, safety, and smarter use of limited resources (Livi UK, 2024).
What patients want: control, convenience, and connection
Patients are increasingly choosing hybrid models because they offer greater flexibility. In a 2025 pilot by PGI in Chandigarh, India, patients could select virtual or in-person follow-ups through an app. Those with red-flag symptoms were fast-tracked for in-clinic appointments, while stable cases were managed remotely. This not only improved access but also enhanced satisfaction by letting patients choose what works for them (Times of India, 2025).
My own research into virtual consultations in community healthcare found similar support. Many clinicians noted that virtual consultations helped reduce did-not-attends (DNAs) and were especially effective for managing chronic conditions, when supported by clear protocols and robust IT systems.
These findings are backed by Bhatia et al. (2023), who found that hybrid care models improved patient outcomes while supporting staff wellbeing and reducing system costs—addressing the “quadruple aim” in healthcare (BMC Health Services Research, 2023).
Moreover, hybrid models have been shown to promote better engagement in certain patient populations. A 2023 report by ViClinic found that 73% of patients with access to both virtual and in-person services reported improved communication with their care providers and felt more confident in managing their health. That sense of empowerment matters, not just for outcomes, but for building trust in healthcare systems.
The tech behind the transformation
Telehealth is evolving rapidly. Beyond video appointments, we’re now seeing integrated tools like e-consults, AI-powered triage, and smart scheduling. These are enabling new ways to deliver care efficiently, especially when clinician time is stretched.
In Singapore, home-care startup Speedoc uses AI to manage clinical risk and optimise logistics, helping staff prioritise and respond faster (Business Insider, 2025). In Saudi Arabia, Seha Virtual Hospital links 224 sites through a centralised virtual system to deliver chronic care, streamline specialist support, and expand access in remote areas (Financial Times, 2025).
Remote monitoring plays a key role too. A 2024 scoping review by Nguyen et al. found that mHealth apps and connected wearables significantly improved early detection, adherence, and long-term outcomes for people living with chronic illnesses. However, concerns remain about data privacy, digital infrastructure, and integration with clinical systems (ArXiv, 2024).
AI is also improving triage and diagnostic processes. Smart algorithms can now analyse symptoms, past records, and patient-reported data to help clinicians make faster, safer decisions. But these tools aren’t a replacement for human judgement, they’re assistants, not substitutes.
A changing workforce
The shift to hybrid care demands more than technology—it needs people ready to work differently. Clinicians must navigate a blend of digital and in-person interactions, often switching between the two in a single day.
In my interviews, clinicians raised concerns about digital fatigue and remote isolation. Some NHS organisations are addressing this by creating “virtual hubs” where staff can work collaboratively, share cases, and maintain team cohesion.
A policy paper by Mehendale et al. (2023) emphasised that successful hybrid models rely on workforce investment, including training, clinical protocols, and new roles such as digital navigators or virtual care coordinators. Without this, digital health risks becoming an added burden rather than a solution (Pain Medicine, 2023).
Clinical workflows need rethinking too. For example, the timing and sequencing of hybrid appointments must be coordinated so that test results from in-person visits can inform virtual follow-ups. This kind of integration requires well-designed systems, not workarounds.
Closing the digital divide
Hybrid care must be inclusive. Too often, assumptions are made about digital access and skills. Digital exclusion can disproportionately affect older adults, people with disabilities, and those on lower incomes.
The NHS has begun tackling this through targeted programmes, such as device loans, digital skills initiatives, and inclusive design. But there’s still work to do.
My research highlighted how digital readiness is more complex than access alone. One clinician described a patient who declined video consultations—not due to a lack of tech, but fear of getting it wrong. With support and a test run, she now regularly attends her virtual follow-ups. It’s a reminder that digital confidence is as important as digital access.
True inclusion also means language accessibility, visual or hearing support, and ensuring platforms work on low-cost devices and low-bandwidth connections. Hybrid care must meet people where they are, not just where the tech reaches.
Measuring what matters
As hybrid care becomes the norm, how we measure success needs to change. It’s not just about uptake or satisfaction, it’s about outcomes, safety, equity, and continuity.
Kumar and Shah (2025) propose using AI and IoT tools for real-time monitoring during care transitions, particularly after hospital discharge. This approach could reduce readmissions and detect deterioration earlier—an example of hybrid care supporting both prevention and responsiveness (ArXiv, 2025).
Clinicians in my study stressed the need for better feedback loops between virtual and physical services. Poor integration risks duplication, fragmentation, or safety gaps. Digital tools must help close those loops, not widen them.
Evaluation should also consider hidden risks—such as missed safeguarding cues in virtual appointments, or loss of non-verbal cues. Hybrid care must be safe, not just efficient.
Making hybrid mainstream
To move from pilot to policy, hybrid care needs to be embedded in national plans—from commissioning and workforce development to estates and infrastructure.
Organisations like The King’s Fund argue that digital health should be seen as service redesign, not IT strategy. A hybrid approach starts not with apps, but with patient needs and clinical pathways.
We also need consistent funding models. At present, incentives often favour either face-to-face or virtual care, depending on how services are commissioned. That can distort clinical decision-making. Hybrid care needs flexible, outcome-based funding.
The future is blended, not binary
Hybrid care offers something better: choice. It allows patients to engage in ways that suit their needs. It helps clinicians deliver smarter care. And it enables systems to respond to rising demand with limited resource.
But it will only succeed if built with intention, backed by evidence, and designed around equity.
Because the future of healthcare isn’t either/or. It’s both.
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