India leads digital healthcare revolution with AI and data-driven hospitals

India is fast emerging as a global leader in digital healthcare transformation — where hospitals are powered by artificial intelligence (AI), cloud technology, and data-driven systems. At the CII Tamil Nadu MedClave, where The Federal was the digital media partner, healthcare leaders and technology innovators came together to discuss the future of “truly digital hospitals".

The focus was clear: technology must empower, not replace, people.

“A truly digital hospital means keeping people at the centre — whether they are patients or employees. Connect them digitally and make every decision data-driven,” said Dr Ilankumaran Kaliamoorthy, Chair of CII Tamil Nadu Medclave and CEO, Apollo Hospitals (Chennai region).

Human-centred innovation

From seamless patient journeys to AI-assisted diagnostics, hospitals across India are adopting digital tools to improve efficiency and access.

CA Ashokan, CIO of Apollo Hospitals, said, “Our focus is on augmented intelligence — enabling access, improving clinician productivity, and connecting the dots between data and care. We are also working on evidence-based operations and secure, scalable infrastructure.”

Entrepreneur Dr Sameer Mehta, CEO of Mehta Hospitals, noted that digital healthcare has created a new industry with over 1.2 million professionals in India.

“India has the opportunity to create global healthcare models at a tenth of the global cost. The rest of the world doesn’t have the answer — India will find a better one,” he said.

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Trust remains foundation of healthcare

While technology drives transformation, trust remains the foundation of healthcare.

Dr T Palaniappan, chairman of the Medway Group of Hospitals, emphasised that digital systems can’t replace human trust.

“Even in the digital marketing era, the best promotion is still word of mouth — the trust patients have in your brand,” he said.

As hospitals digitise their records, manage patient data, and automate processes, security and privacy become vital challenges.

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The cloud advantage

Experts said that cloud technology is reshaping healthcare delivery across India. It allows hospitals — big and small — to integrate systems and scale faster.

Seema Ambastha, CEO of L&T Cloudfiniti, explained, “We need to integrate EMS, billing, and imaging data under strict patient consent and regulatory oversight. Creating data lakes will enable hospitals to run AI productively and securely.”

The panel agreed that digital transformation in healthcare is not just about adopting EMRs or AI, but about orchestrating data, infrastructure, people, and policy into one cohesive ecosystem.

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Govt policy support has helped

Dr Murthy Remilla, retired ISRO scientist, pointed out that policy support has accelerated the digital shift.

“Telemedicine guidelines by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, guided by the Telemedicine Society of India, opened the gates for legal and accessible teleconsultations,” he said.

However, standardised, high-quality data remains key to unlocking the full potential of AI.

Dr Parthiban Srinivasan of Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation added, “India’s strength lies in rapid clinical adoption and building a national AI foundation, though maturity levels are still uneven.”

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Startups and collaboration

Startups are playing a crucial role in India’s digital healthcare journey — but experts say many still innovate in isolation.

Sharmila Devadoss, Managing Director of MedIoTek Health Systems, said, “Many technologies are built without inputs from doctors, nurses, or hospital administrators. True innovation happens only when you understand real clinical needs.”

As AI, cloud computing, and telemedicine converge, India is building a healthcare system where care is seamless, secure, and centred on people — not machines.

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