Indian hospitals are set to increase their spending on digital technologies by 20–25% over the next 2–3 years, according to the CII-EY HealthTech Survey 2025. Nearly half of healthcare providers already spend 20–50% of their budgets on digital innovation.
The survey, launched at the CII Hospital Tech 2025 Summit, shows how automation is reshaping patient care, clinical outcomes, and hospital decision-making. But challenges such as old systems, lack of digital skills, and patient-focused delivery need to be addressed.
Where hospitals are investing
- 60% of hospitals plan to build stronger IT capabilities.
- Data management and cybersecurity are mid-level priorities.
- Hardware upgrades and application updates are lower priorities (10%).
AI in healthcare
Hospitals are increasingly using AI to improve visibility of clinical data and assist doctors. Key AI use cases include:
- Clinical documentation and data analysis (72%)
- Decision support systems (64%)
- Imaging (60%)
Experts said the sector is moving from pilot projects to practical, large-scale AI applications that improve efficiency and decision-making.
Key challenges
- Skill gaps: 60% of hospitals see IT upskilling and capability building as their biggest challenge.
- Data hurdles: 50% struggle with integrating data and adopting business intelligence tools.
- Ongoing issues: Many still face problems with data storage, management, and infrastructure.
The report stresses that collaboration between government, industry, and hospitals is essential to scale innovation without compromising trust or data security.
