India, Sept. 28 -- When someone develops an unfamiliar symptom today, the first instinct is often to search for it before booking a doctor's appointment. Google, YouTube, patient forums and increasingly AI tools provide immediate access to information. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Smriti Tandon, co-founder of Online Chikitsa Mitra and 120by80, Flagship Healthcare Platforms by Salubrious Technologies, shared reasons behind this digital search.

"I believe patients are often trying to do something much more understandable," said Smriti. They want to know whether they should be worried, whether someone else has experienced the same thing, which doctor they should consult, what treatment might involve and what it could cost before placi...