Why 2026 is the pivot point for electronic health records

The shift from adoption to predictive, data-driven care will determine whether digital investments deliver transformation, writes Ashish Kolte, editorial and relationships manager at Market Intelo

For a decade, the conversation around electronic health records (EHR) in the UK has been dominated by adoption.

We have traditionally measured success by the number of NHS trusts that have transitioned from paper-based systems to digital platforms.

However, as we enter the 2024–2033 forecast period, we are shifting from simple digitisation toward a far more consequential era of predictive healthcare.

According to the Market Intelo 2026 EHR analysis, the market is no longer defined by the act of digitising notes.

Instead, the EHR is becoming the central nervous system of the UK’s healthcare infrastructure.

The next eight years will define whether these multi-billion-pound investments yield a learning health system or merely a collection of expensive digital silos.

The £4.47bn shift

The scale of this evolution is best reflected in the rising market valuations.

While the global electronic health records market was valued at $35.2bn (£27.8bn) in 2024—with a projected rise to $66.8bn (£52.8bn) by 2033—the UK’s domestic market is on a distinct trajectory.

Recent projections indicate that the UK’s EHR market will reach a valuation of  $5.7bn (£4.47bn) by 2033.

The next eight years will determine whether the UK’s digital investments deliver a learning health system or a collection of digital silos

This growth is being accelerated by a forced evolution rather than organic change.

Data highlights that the UK is projected to lead the European region in revenue by the early 2030s.

This dominance is driven by a critical transition: the move from legacy, on-premise systems to web-based and cloud-native solutions, which now account for nearly 87% of new market revenue.

From records to prediction

The fundamental shift in the industry lies in how patient data is utilised.

We are moving past the ‘basic EHR’ phase where software licences were the primary market driver.

Current research indicates that the fastest-growing segments are now the professional services and AI-integrated analytics layers that sit atop the core software.

In the UK, the frontline of this change is the integrated care system (ICS)—regional partnerships that bring together NHS organisations, local councils, and others to take collective responsibility for managing resources and delivering care.

Patient information is increasingly being streamlined for active risk-scoring.

By 2026, the maturity of ICS metrics will mean an EHR is only successful if it can proactively identify a deteriorating patient in a virtual ward, a segment expected to expand significantly through 2027.

Barriers to progress

Despite this progress, significant friction remains. While government initiatives act as a primary driver, progress is often anchored by high implementation costs and persistent cybersecurity threats.

The ransomware attacks of 2024 served as a wake-up call, proving that data privacy is no longer just an IT issue—it is a primary bottleneck to clinical adoption.

Data privacy is no longer just an IT issue— it’s a primary bottleneck to clinical adoption

Furthermore, while 97% of GPs in the UK have adopted some form of EHR, the meaningful use of that data across acute, primary, and social care remains fragmented.

If the next decade is spent managing maintenance costs rather than investing in interoperability, the UK risks missing its window for true transformation.

The next decade

As we look toward 2033, three non-negotiable trends will define the leadership landscape:

• The rise of ambient voice technology: AI agents that transcribe clinician-patient interactions in real-time are moving from pilot to scale, offering a viable solution to clinician burnout.
• Specialty-specific EHRs: The one size fits all approach is being replaced by tailored modules for cardiology, oncology, and mental health, reflecting a shift toward precision medicine.
• The dominance of software as a service (SaaS): By 2033, on-premise systems will be relics. The cloud-native transition will allow the NHS to pivot from fixed-estate costs to variable technology spend, which is essential for a cash-strapped system.

From investment to impact

The findings of our latest research make one thing clear: the EHR is no longer a tool for the IT department; it is a strategic asset for the chief medical officer.

The EHR is a strategic asset for managing an ageing population and rising chronic disease

The projected growth to £4.47bn by 2033 is more than a financial forecast—it is an investment in the UK’s ability to manage an ageing population and chronic disease.

Capital investment alone, however, does not constitute leadership.

To truly capitalise on this 10-year outlook, we must move beyond the procurement of software and toward the mastery of data.

The goal for 2033 is to have every record working to keep the patient out of the hospital in the first place.