71 pc Indian healthcare professionals say AI helps see more patients: Philips report
New Delhi, Aug 11 (TNT): Around 71 per cent of healthcare professionals in India said artificial intelligence (AI) had increased their capacity to see more patients, with clinicians reporting a median of 10 additional patients a week, according to the Philips Future Health Index 2026 India report.
The report, released by Philips on Tuesday, said 85 per cent of healthcare professionals in India were optimistic that AI could improve patient outcomes, up from 76 per cent in the 2025 report.
The global survey covered more than 2,000 healthcare professionals and over 20,000 patients across 10 countries, including 200 healthcare professionals and 2,004 patients in India.
According to the report, 58 per cent of healthcare professionals in India reported annual time savings of at least 132 hours through AI, equivalent to more than three working weeks.
Around 75 per cent of those saving time through AI said the efficiencies enabled more thorough interactions with patients.
The report found that 82 per cent of healthcare professionals reported improved workflow efficiency through AI, while 80 per cent said AI had improved access to consolidated patient data across care teams.
About 71 per cent said AI had improved their work-life balance, while 69 per cent reported reduced stress and the same proportion said they were doing less overtime or taking less work home.
The report also highlighted growing confidence in AI, with 77 per cent of healthcare professionals expecting new roles to emerge as AI becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare delivery.
Around 83 per cent believed AI could help narrow quality gaps between different healthcare settings and improve access to quality healthcare.
At the same time, the report pointed to the need for responsible adoption of AI. About 86 per cent of healthcare professionals said all AI outputs required human oversight, while 78 per cent said they had corrected AI-generated misinformation.
Around 45 per cent said AI training at their organisations was limited or inconsistent.
Bharath Sesha, Managing Director, Philips Indian Subcontinent, said AI was already transforming healthcare delivery in India, with both healthcare professionals and patients increasingly embracing the technology.
“India now has a unique opportunity to lead the responsible adoption of AI and redefine how quality care is delivered at scale,” he said.
The Future Health Index 2026 report said scaling AI responsibly and integrating it into clinical practice could help build a more resilient, equitable and patient-centred healthcare system in India.
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