India is emerging as a top AI-ready healthcare market with high consumer GenAI adoption, a new Bain report finds. However, rising expectations for convenience are met with challenges like high costs, long waits, and fragmented care.
India is emerging as one of the most AI-ready healthcare markets in the Asia-Pacific region, with a growing number of consumers using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to understand diagnoses, navigate the healthcare system and prepare for medical appointments, according to a new report by global consultancy Bain & Company.
Rising Consumer Expectations
The report, highlights rising consumer expectations, persistent healthcare access challenges and increasing demand for coordinated care delivery across the region. According to Bain, 78 per cent of Indian consumers now use GenAI to better understand diagnoses and treatment options, while 73 per cent use it to prepare for appointments and 72 per cent leverage it to navigate the healthcare system.
The report notes that healthcare consumers across Asia-Pacific are becoming more proactive and informed. "Asia-Pacific patients are becoming consumers. Eighty-four percent expect healthcare to be more convenient today than two years ago, and 71% expect doctors to be more responsive via phone, WhatsApp, or email," the report said. Consumer expectations are even higher in India. Bain found that 88 per cent of Indian consumers expect more convenient healthcare experiences, while nearly 80 per cent expect doctors to be accessible through phone calls or messaging platforms.
Key Challenges: Cost, Access, and Fragmentation
A strong demand for care coordination is also emerging. According to the report, 93 per cent of Indian consumers want a single touchpoint to manage their healthcare journey, reflecting frustrations with fragmented care pathways. Healthcare affordability and access continue to remain major concerns. High costs were cited by 43 per cent of Indian consumers as a leading pain point, followed by long wait times at care facilities (42 per cent) and delays in securing appointments (30 per cent).
The study found that fragmentation compounds these challenges, with more than 45 per cent of Indian consumers reporting difficulties navigating the healthcare system. Additionally, 62 per cent said they often need to consult multiple providers before receiving the correct diagnosis or treatment plan. "The region's healthcare systems are approaching an inflection point where rising demand, workforce scarcity and fragmented care delivery models are converging at the same time," said Vikram Kapur, head of Bain & Company's Global Healthcare & Life Sciences practice. "The challenge now is not simply expanding access, but fundamentally redesigning how care is coordinated, delivered and experienced," he added.
Focus on Preventive Healthcare
The report also points to a growing focus on preventive healthcare among Indian consumers. Nearly nine in ten Indians expressed interest in preventive health and lifestyle changes, while spending on nutrition supplements and fitness has risen significantly.
Bain's broader Asia-Pacific findings show that consumers are increasingly prioritising prevention. "Sixty percent of consumers reported scheduling regular check-ups and screenings in 2025, compared to only 47% in 2023," the report said. However, India was among the few markets that did not record the same steep rise in preventive care participation seen elsewhere in the region.
Alternative Care and Telehealth Trends
Alternative care models are gaining traction across Asia-Pacific, but adoption remains relatively lower in India. While 57 per cent of consumers across the region have used an alternative site of care in the past year, India continues to trail the regional average. The report noted that "home based care leads in India and Vietnam," underscoring the growing preference for healthcare delivery at home.
Telehealth usage in India has also weakened significantly since the pandemic period. According to the report, "In India, telehealth adoption plummeted below its 2019 baseline, dropping to 10% penetration in 2025."
The report notes that healthcare organisations that successfully combine trusted clinical relationships with AI-enabled experiences and seamless care coordination will be best positioned to build long-term consumer trust and improve health outcomes. (ANI)
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