India among APAC’s most AI‑ready healthcare markets: Report

New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) India stands out as one of the Asia‑Pacific region’s most AI‑ready healthcare markets, with 78 per cent of consumers using generative AI (GenAI) to better understand diagnoses and treatment options, a report said on Wednesday.

The report from Bain & Company said 73 per cent of Indian consumers use it to prepare for appointments, and 72 per cent use it to navigate the healthcare system.

Gen Z’s are driving digital health adoption, with 66 per cent of Gen Z respondents using online pharmacies and demonstrating higher engagement with AI-enabled healthcare tools and services.

The report said rising expectations for convenience and coordination are colliding with a stretched clinical workforce in Asia-Pacific healthcare systems. This accelerates the shift toward new care models and AI-enabled support.

Consumers in India show particularly strong demand for easier access and responsiveness as 88 per cent respondents said they expect more convenient healthcare experiences, 79 per cent expect phone and messaging accessibility from doctors.

Around 93 per cent Indian respondents wanted a single point of coordination across their healthcare journey. The report added that healthcare affordability and access remain key challenges, with 43 per cent citing high costs, 42 per cent citing long wait times and 30 per cent mentioning delays in securing appointments.

Fragmentation compounds the burden, with more than 45 per cent of consumers reporting difficulties navigating the healthcare system, and 62 per cent citing they often need to consult multiple providers before receiving the right diagnosis or treatment plan, contributing to the strong demand for a more coordinated healthcare experience.

Around 59 per cent favoured an in-person clinic as their primary coordination point, reflecting continued trust in traditional healthcare providers such as primary care physicians (85 per cent) and hospitals (75 per cent).

While alternate care models are gaining traction across Asia-Pacific, India continues to lag the regional average in alternate site-of-care adoption at 42 per cent versus 57 per cent APAC average.

Telehealth remains largely complementary — used for non-acute cases and not a substitute; limited payer-driven steerage in India’s predominantly cash-pay market.

—IANS

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