AI and Data Governance Take Centre Stage in India’s Hospital Digital Transformation

Artificial intelligence and stronger data governance are emerging as major priorities for India’s healthcare sector, but hospitals continue to face challenges in moving AI projects from experimental pilots to routine operations.

At CII Hospital Tech 2026, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and PwC India released a report examining the adoption of AI across healthcare organisations. The findings revealed considerable enthusiasm for the technology, with 93% of surveyed healthcare leaders expressing confidence in AI and 64% having already conducted pilot projects. However, only 11% had successfully implemented AI solutions at scale.

Data readiness remains one of the biggest obstacles. Nearly half of the respondents said their organisations were still at an early stage of preparing data for digital applications. Poor data quality was identified as the leading reason AI deployments stall, followed by difficulties in change management, clinician acceptance and uncertainty over returns on investment.

Healthcare organisations are exploring AI for a wide range of functions. These include diagnostic imaging, clinical decision support, patient engagement, appointment management, remote care, documentation, hospital capacity planning, finance, procurement and supply-chain operations.

Data governance was another key focus at the event. A separate CII-Deloitte report highlighted the need for healthcare organisations to strengthen privacy, consent management, cybersecurity and secure data-sharing practices as digital systems expand.

The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) also announced plans for new standards covering medical imaging systems and quality-management software.

Together, these developments indicate that healthcare digitalisation is moving beyond technology acquisition towards building reliable data systems, governance frameworks and workflows capable of supporting AI in everyday healthcare delivery.

10-09-2026