A recent report by FICCI and EY-Parthenon, titled True Accountable Care: Maximizing Healthcare Delivery Impact Efficiently, highlights what Indian patients expect from hospitals. According to the findings:

• 83% of patients want easy access to accurate, clear, and reliable information about hospitals and treatments.

• Nearly 90% are willing to pay a little extra for guaranteed high-quality care.

High Treatment Costs Remain a Challenge
Although India’s healthcare services are cheaper compared to many countries, treatment costs are still a major burden:

• Large private hospitals charge ₹30,000–₹40,000 per patient per day, while super-specialty hospitals in metro cities can charge up to ₹70,000 per day.

• The average cost of treatment in a private hospital is around ₹58,000, exceeding the annual spending of half of Indian families.

• 25–30% of people in rural areas lack health insurance, forcing them to pay out-of-pocket.

Patients Demand Transparency, Doctors Ready to Respond
Healthcare leaders see a positive shift in patient expectations and hospital responses:

• Kaivan Movdawala (EY-Parthenon) said patients now demand transparency, and doctors are ready to share treatment outcomes.

• Akshay Ravi emphasized the importance of focusing on quality over quantity in both government and private hospitals.

• Varun Khanna noted that 90% of doctors agree on establishing uniform treatment standards and outcomes.

• FICCI Chairman Dr. Harsh Mahajan stated that promoting accountable and quality care could make healthcare in India both reliable and affordable.

Key Insights from the Report:

• Since 2000, hospital bed capacity nearly doubled; MBBS seats increased fivefold.

• Advanced treatments like Cath Labs and cancer machines have increased significantly.

• By 2047, hospitalizations may triple, requiring 203 million new beds if no improvements are made.

• Outcome-based treatments could reduce hospitalizations by 20–30%.

• Only one-third of patients currently access accurate information about hospital quality.

• Less than 10% of private hospitals are NABH accredited, and only 2% of labs are NABL certified.

Recommendations:
The report urges India to move toward a digital, data-driven healthcare system, proposing:

• VALUE Framework: Electronic health records, AI technology, real-time data sharing.

• 7C Framework: Focus on quality, cost control, treatment coordination, patient empowerment, and digital engagement.

The study makes it clear that patients want transparency, reliability, and accountability, and India’s healthcare system must evolve to meet these expectations.