'Touch and Technology Must Go Hand in Hand,' Says DCDC Kidney Care Founder Aseem Garg

Artificial intelligence can help reduce costs, improve efficiency and expand access to healthcare, but it cannot replace the empathy and human connection that patients need, healthcare leaders said at the MindMine Summit in New Delhi.

"AI and technology help us unlock efficiencies, whether in cost or operations. But touch is what allows us to embrace dignity and empathy. The two must go hand in hand,” Aseem Garg, founder DCDC Kidney Care said at the panel.  

The discussion, which brought together healthcare leaders, doctors and industry executives, focused on the intersection of technology, human touch and trust in healthcare. Speakers agreed that while AI and innovation can improve access and efficiency, they cannot replace the human connection that lies at the heart of medicine.

Dr. Randeep Guleria, Chairman, Institute of Internal Medicine and Resipiratory, Medanta said the trust deficit in healthcare has grown as medical technology has become more sophisticated and expensive.

"Since in India, unfortunately, a large part of the population still pays out of pocket, the question often becomes: 'Am I paying too much? Is this investigation really necessary?'" Guleria said, referring to the growing concerns around healthcare affordability and transparency.

According to Guleria, healthcare has evolved from a relationship-based model where doctors were viewed as trusted family advisers to a system increasingly scrutinised for costs and value.

"Fundamentally, this industry in every country is about trust. Fundamentally, every country is about not wanting to pay out of pocket," Meenakshi Nevatia, Country President, Pfizer India and Managing Director, Pfizer Ltd said.

At the same time, panelists stressed that innovation and quality remain critical for improving healthcare outcomes. Nevatia said the industry's priorities should be bringing innovation to India faster, improving affordability and ensuring quality healthcare reaches more people.

AI Can Help, But Not Replace Doctors

The conversation also turned to the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

While AI has the potential to improve diagnostics, decision-making and healthcare delivery in underserved regions, Guleria cautioned against viewing technology as a replacement for doctors.

"Medicine is both a science and an art. The art of medicine is how you interact with people. There are times when just reassuring a patient can make them feel much better than medicine itself," he said.

He added that AI may help doctors become more precise, but it cannot fully replicate empathy, intuition and human judgment.

"AI is here to stay and it will change the way we practice medicine. But it is not going to replace the way we are currently being educated," Garg said. "AI and technology help us unlock efficiencies. But touch is something which allows us to embrace dignity and empathy. The two need to go hand in hand," he added

Startups Driving Innovation, but Scaling Remains a Challenge

Moderator and NDTV Network Executive Editor Gaurie Dwidei highlighted growing innovation in India's healthcare startup ecosystem, citing examples ranging from low-cost cervical cancer screening tools to AI-powered stethoscopes capable of detecting heart abnormalities.

"It's not a lack of ideas. There is a lot of innovation and a lot of entrepreneurs looking at healthcare. The real question is how do we scale it up," Nevatia said.

Speakers also called for stronger collaboration between academia, industry and regulators to accelerate the commercialization of healthcare innovations.