India, Jan 21: FTA Global, a new-age marketing company, today announced the release of its latest industry report, Healthcare Industry Insights: Key Findings and Trends. The report presents a comprehensive view of how patients in India search for diseases, hospitals, diagnostics, and digital healthcare services, highlighting the evolving role of mobile, local search, and telemedicine in healthcare discovery.
The study reveals a fundamental shift in healthcare decision-making. Search-led discovery has become the primary gateway for patients to evaluate symptoms, choose hospitals, book consultations, and order lab tests. The analysis is based on detailed search behaviour, brand visibility patterns, and app discovery trends across major metros and emerging healthcare hubs.
Key revelations from the report include:
• Diseases Driving Maximum Search Interest: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, cancer, tuberculosis, vector-borne diseases, mental health, HIV, liver disease and zoonotic conditions dominate healthcare search demand.
• Mobile-First Healthcare Discovery: 85.3% of disease-related searches and 83.8% of hospital searches come from mobile devices, confirming mobile as the primary channel for patient journeys.
• Leading Hospital Brand Visibility: AIIMS Delhi, Medanta, Apollo Hospitals, Narayana Health, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, and Gleneagles Global Health City lead brand searches, alongside strong regional networks such as Max, Fortis and Manipal.
• Diagnostics and Lab Test Momentum: CBC, liver function tests and lipid profiles remain the most searched tests, with Pathkind Labs showing the fastest brand growth in diagnostics visibility.
• Telemedicine and Health App Surge: Practo, Tata 1mg, PharmEasy, MFine and MediBuddy / Apollo 24|7 dominate healthcare app discovery, reflecting rising adoption of digital consultations and e-pharmacies.
The report also highlights how healthcare discovery is increasingly shaped by location and convenience. Over 70% of health-related searches in India now originate on mobile, while “near me” queries and map-based discovery are becoming decisive for clinics, labs and pharmacies seeking to attract nearby patients.
Segment-Specific Insights Show Distinct Patterns Across Services and Channels
The analysis highlights diverging growth trends across healthcare services and digital touchpoints:
• Hospital Search Behaviour: Desktop accounts for only 15.2% of hospital searches, reinforcing the need for mobile-optimised hospital websites and appointment journeys.
• Rise of Local and Map Visibility: Local packs and Google Maps now influence a large share of hospital and diagnostic centre selection, especially for emergency and speciality care.
• Lab Test Search Stability: Lab test queries show consistent year-round demand with seasonal fluctuations, creating opportunities for recurring content on test interpretation and FAQs.
• App-Based Care as a Core Channel: Appointment booking, report downloads, medication reminders and follow-ups are increasingly managed through healthcare apps.
AI and Search Reshaping Patient Discovery
The impact of AI-driven search experiences is clearly visible in healthcare discovery. AI-generated summaries and conversational queries are prioritising authoritative content, structured data, and trusted medical information. Brands that invest in medical content quality, schema implementation, and digital trust signals are gaining disproportionate visibility.
“The healthcare ecosystem is entering a phase where discovery is no longer limited to hospital websites alone. Patients are finding care through mobile, maps, apps and AI-led answers, often before they ever visit a hospital,” said Senthil Kumar Hariram, Founder and Managing Director, FTA Global. “Our report shows that healthcare providers must build a search-first and mobile-first strategy. This means strengthening local visibility, creating high-quality informational content, and integrating web and app discovery to capture patients at every stage of the care journey.”
The report provides a strategic framework for healthcare marketing, recommending prioritization of informational content, development of local landing pages, integration of structured data (FAQ, HowTo), and synchronized App Store Optimization (ASO) for health apps.
