Mumbai: Six in 10 Indians consider online health information as reliable as advice from healthcare professionals, while 61 per cent prefer instant answers from AI or online sources over waiting for a healthcare professional, according to a new study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
The report titled ‘The Consumerization of Health Care: How Patients Are Reshaping the Industry’ surveyed 976 consumers in India to study the shift in how patients approach health care, with growing expectations for choice, transparency, personalization, and access to information.
India ranked second on the Health Care Consumerization Index, with a score of 66, behind China at 72. The index combines six survey measures and scores countries on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating stronger consumerization attitudes, BCG said.
Indian consumers scored above the global average on all six measures, with the widest gaps in trust in online health information (60 per cent, 19 percentage points above the global average) and preference for instant AI or online answers (61 per cent, 18 percentage points above). On both measures, India ranks second only to China.
According to the findings, 78 per cent of Indian consumers want greater control over their treatment choices, while 73 per cent seek greater control over health care costs and payment options.
Millennials recorded the highest consumerization index score at 71, but Gen Z respondents, rather than baby boomers, scored lowest, at 59.
While 68 per cent millennials preferred an immediate online answer to waiting for a health care professional, compared with 52 per cent of Gen Z respondents.
The gender difference on the Consumerization Index is narrow, with men scoring 67 and women scoring 66.
The report found men were more likely to consider online medical information reliable (63 per cent versus 57 percent) while women are more likely to seek greater control over health care costs and payment options (75 per cent versus 69 per cent).
Higher-income respondents scored about 12 points higher than lower-income respondents on the index.
Among higher-income respondents, 84 per cent want more control over their treatment choices, compared with 73 per cent of lower-income respondents.
Vikash Agarwalla, India Leader, Healthcare Practice, BCG said, “Indian consumers are becoming more active participants in their healthcare journeys, and this is reshaping expectations across the healthcare ecosystem. Going forward, healthcare providers will need to move beyond a treatment-led approach and focus on building greater patient centricity through accessible information, transparent costs and seamless experiences. Technology, including AI, will play an increasingly important role in enabling more informed decisions and personalised care. However, the real differentiator will be how effectively the industry combines these innovations with clinical quality, affordability, equity and better health outcomes.”
