India is rapidly positioning itself among the most AI-ready healthcare markets in the Asia-Pacific region, with consumers increasingly turning to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to better understand medical conditions, prepare for doctor consultations and navigate healthcare services, according to a report by Bain & Company.
The study found that adoption of AI-powered tools is particularly strong in India. About 78% of consumers use GenAI to understand diagnoses and treatment options, while 73% rely on it to prepare for medical appointments. Another 72% use the technology to help navigate the healthcare system.
The report highlights a broader shift across Asia-Pacific, where patients are taking a more active role in managing their health and demanding better experiences from healthcare providers.
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"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.
Expectations are even higher among Indian consumers. According to the findings, 88% want more convenient healthcare experiences, while nearly 80% expect doctors to be reachable through calls or messaging platforms.
The demand for more integrated healthcare services is also growing. The report found that 93% of Indian consumers would prefer a single point of contact to manage their healthcare journey, indicating dissatisfaction with fragmented care delivery and complex treatment pathways.
Access and affordability remain significant challenges. High treatment costs emerged as the top concern for 43% of respondents in India, followed by long waiting times at healthcare facilities for 42% and delays in securing appointments for 30%.
The report also found that navigating the healthcare system remains difficult for many patients. More than 45% of Indian consumers said they face challenges understanding and accessing healthcare services, while 62% reported consulting 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.
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"The challenge now is not simply expanding access, but fundamentally redesigning how care is coordinated, delivered and experienced," he added.
Preventive healthcare is gaining traction among Indian consumers as well. Nearly nine out of ten respondents expressed interest in preventive health measures and lifestyle improvements, while spending on nutrition supplements and fitness-related activities has increased.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, preventive healthcare participation has risen sharply.
"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 markets that did not experience the same pace of growth in preventive healthcare participation seen elsewhere in the region.
The report also examined the adoption of alternative care models. While 57% of consumers across Asia-Pacific used alternative care settings during the past year, uptake in India remained below the regional average.
According to the study, "home based care leads in India and Vietnam," reflecting a growing preference among consumers for receiving treatment and support outside traditional healthcare facilities.
At the same time, telehealth adoption in India has fallen sharply from pandemic-era highs.
According to the report, "In India, telehealth adoption plummeted below its 2019 baseline, dropping to 10% penetration in 2025."
Bain said healthcare providers that combine trusted clinical care with AI-enabled services and better care coordination are likely to be best placed to meet evolving consumer expectations, strengthen patient trust and improve long-term health outcomes.
