Urgent Need for Policy Interventions in Indian Healthcare: ISB Study

The study stresses the urgent need for policy interventions to address the challenges hindering AI adoption in India’s healthcare ecosystem.

A recent study conducted by the Indian School of Business (ISB) emphasizes the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing India's healthcare system.

Titled ‘Understanding the Canvas of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare in India’, the study was carried out by the ISB Institute of Data Science (IIDS) and the ISB-Centre for Business Markets (ISB-CBM).

It highlights AI's ability to enhance clinical outcomes, patient experiences, and access to quality healthcare across the country.

Need for Policy Reforms to Bridge AI Adoption Gaps

The study stresses the urgent need for policy interventions to address the challenges hindering AI adoption in India’s healthcare ecosystem.

It recommends measures to promote the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) by healthcare providers, which would help create a unified health data infrastructure necessary for AI applications.

The report further calls for investments in upskilling the healthcare workforce to handle AI technologies and fostering public-private partnerships to drive innovation and develop India-specific AI solutions.

In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of establishing clear regulatory frameworks for data privacy, accountability, and ethical considerations related to AI use in healthcare.

These frameworks will ensure that AI technologies are used responsibly and safely while protecting patient information.

AI’s Potential to Transform Healthcare

“AI has the potential to markedly improve productivity, efficiency, workflow, accuracy, and speed, both for physicians and for patients,” said Professor DVR Seshadri, Director of ISB-CBM.

He pointed out that AI-driven innovations, when combined with appropriate policy measures, can significantly enhance healthcare access, especially in rural and underserved areas.

By enabling timely treatments and improving overall healthcare quality, AI could foster a better quality of life for millions of Indians.

The study uses key statistics to illustrate the need for AI in Indian healthcare. For example, India has one doctor for every 1,457 people, falling short of the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of one doctor per 1,000 people.

Similarly, the study noted that India’s nurse-to-patient ratio stands at 1.7 nurses per 1,000 people, below the recommended three nurses per 1,000.

AI has the potential to bridge this gap by improving operational efficiencies and enabling healthcare providers to deliver better care with limited resources, the ISB report highlighted.

Emerging AI Applications

The ISB study identifies several emerging AI applications in healthcare, including disease detection, process optimization, patient-facing applications powered by chatbots, and AI-assisted personalized treatment interventions.

It reveals that around 4,000 companies in India are actively developing AI solutions for healthcare, reflecting the growing interest in this area.

Moreover, the government is also supporting the adoption of AI in healthcare through initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat Scheme and the National Digital Health Infrastructure.

These programs aim to facilitate the transition toward a more tech-enabled healthcare system, ensuring better access to services for all citizens.

“Technology is no longer considered a luxury. The healthcare industry must expand its frontiers into AI to achieve genuine breakthroughs. Healthcare leaders should consider leveraging the vibrant start-up ecosystem to create supportive environments that encourage innovation and positive disruption for a healthier India,” noted Professor Manish Gangwar, Executive Director of ISB Institute of Data Science.

Roadblocks to AI Adoption

Despite the promising potential of AI, the ISB study highlights several roadblocks that need to be addressed for widespread AI adoption in healthcare.

These challenges include issues related to data accessibility, a skills gap in the workforce, high infrastructure and development costs, and regulatory uncertainty surrounding data privacy and accountability in case of AI errors.

Addressing these challenges through targeted policies and investments will be critical to unlocking AI's full potential in the Indian healthcare system.