How AI tools are reshaping access, efficiency, and care in Indian healthcare

Rahul Bajaj, Founder, Digital Darwin explains how AI has become an invaluable tool that improves patient care, reduces operations, enhances diagnosis, and lowers health care workers’ burden

India’s healthcare system, which serves over 1.4 billion people, confronts multiple challenges, one of which is a serious lack of skilled medical workers. Inadequate infrastructure and an increasing illness load make these problems worse. In the face of these obstacles, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an invaluable tool that improves patient care, reduces operations, enhances diagnosis, and lowers health care workers’ burden.

AI’s role in easing workforce shortages

A shortage of medical professionals, particularly nurses and specialists, is one of the main issues impacting India’s healthcare system. About 6 million nurses are needed worldwide, and India is among the biggest contributors to this shortfall. AI is assisting in closing this gap and freeing up healthcare professionals to concentrate more on patient care by automating repetitive tasks and assisting with clinical decision-making.

AI solutions are increasingly being utilised to handle time-consuming tasks like follow-ups, patient inquiries, and appointment scheduling. These solutions save time for medical practitioners by responding quickly and providing tailored insights. Furthermore, multilingual GenAI agents help promote diversity and remove language barriers, which enhances healthcare accessibility considerably.

This change is mostly being driven by GenAI agents. These systems can interact with patients, help medical professionals make decisions, and expedite administrative duties by utilising machine learning and natural language processing. Because of GenAI’s ability to train continuously, these systems get better over time, delivering answers that are more accurate and assisting in addressing the lack of human resources in India’s healthcare system.

Transforming diagnostics with AI

AI has had a significant impact on diagnostics, especially in the field of medical imaging. Large volumes of data may be processed quickly and accurately by AI systems, improving disease diagnosis in scans like CT, MRI, and X-rays where human eyes might overlook minute anomalies. AI techniques, for instance, have shown to decrease false positives and false negatives, improving the identification of diseases like cancer. These AI-driven tools help general practitioners in India, where there is a lack of specialists, make more accurate diagnoses, which improves outcomes, particularly in underprivileged areas.

In fact, according to an NITI Aayog research, AI in healthcare can cut diagnostic errors by as much as 30 per cent, which would dramatically improve our country’s extensive healthcare needs.

Using predictive analytics to combat diseases

AI is also instrumental in predicting and preventing disease outbreaks, which is critical in a country prone to seasonal epidemics like dengue, malaria, and tuberculosis. By analysing vast datasets, AI identifies at-risk populations and provides early warnings, enabling authorities to take proactive steps to contain diseases before they spread widely.

This predictive capability not only helps protect public health but also reduces the strain on hospitals during outbreaks. By enabling more effective resource utilisation, AI ensures that healthcare systems remain agile in the face of epidemics. AI-powered systems have already helped predict the onset of dengue outbreaks in Indian states
with 85 per cent accuracy, according to recent studies.

Expanding access with telemedicine and virtual assistants

Telemedicine, powered by AI, has become a game-changer for rural and remote areas in India, where healthcare facilities are sparse. AI-driven platforms enable virtual consultations, analysing symptoms and offering preliminary diagnoses.

These tools not only enhance access to healthcare but also save valuable time and resources for both patients and providers. Generative AI agents have further amplified these capabilities by offering intelligent, real-time responses to patient queries and medical inquiries. For instance, GenAI can help in triaging patient concerns, providing medical advice, or even guiding patients through home-care instructions. This is particularly beneficial in areas where healthcare professionals are unavailable.

Virtual assistants, powered by AI, are also becoming more prevalent, providing 24/7 assistance on health queries and preventive care. These assistants help address basic healthcare needs, especially in regions with limited infrastructure, significantly expanding the reach of healthcare services.

Precision surgery with robotics

Robotic-assisted surgeries, which provide greater precision and quicker recovery times, are seeing notable advancements because of AI. Surgeons employing robotic devices can conduct difficult procedures with greater accuracy, decreasing risks and consequences. This technology has the potential to reach more patients and transform surgical treatment across the country, though it currently exists in larger facilities.

In the past two years, robotic surgery has become 30 per cent more widespread in India owing to AI-enabled technologies that speed up recovery after surgery and lower human error.

Drug discovery

The drug discovery process, traditionally slow and costly, is being revolutionised by AI. By analysing biological data and predicting drug interactions, AI accelerates the development of new treatments, drastically reducing both the time and cost involved. This is particularly vital for India, where timely access to affordable medicines can be a matter of life and death.

AI’s role in drug discovery is already evident in the COVID-19 vaccine development process. By quickly analysing global virus data, AI contributed to speeding up vaccine research by more than 40 per cent, a remarkable achievement for a country like India, which has a large pharma industry.

Conclusion

India’s healthcare sector is receiving increasing investments from both the government and private organisations in AI technologies. Programs led by NITI Aayog are using AI to identify diseases like diabetic retinopathy, while several collaborative efforts focus on oncology and preventive care. The healthcare AI market in India is expected to reach $1.6 billion by 2025, contributing to the wider adoption of AI tools.

Generative AI (GenAI) agents are also becoming important in these efforts. Using deep learning and natural language processing, GenAI can analyse large data sets, identify early-stage diseases, and support decision-making in real time. These systems help healthcare professionals by processing complex data and providing insights that can improve diagnosis and treatment. GenAI-powered virtual assistants also assist doctors by offering immediate access to medical information, which can help save time and reduce administrative burdens.

AI is playing a key role in addressing workforce shortages in India’s healthcare system and improving access to care. With the continued integration of AI, the system is becoming more efficient and accessible. The country stands to benefit from a healthcare system that is more focused on patients, with AI and Generative AI agents supporting how care is delivered.