Australians turn to AI for healthcare advice as cost of living pressures increase

Australians turn to AI for healthcare advice as cost of living pressures increase

[Sydney, Tuesday 27 October] The eighth Australian Healthcare Index, released today by Healthengine and Patients Australia, found Australians are using artificial intelligence to help minimise the cost of healthcare.

• More than a third (36%) of Australians have used or encountered AI in healthcare in the past year, with looking up general health information and checking symptoms the main drivers of adoption.
• Cost of living pressures continue to have a negative impact on access to care, with more than half (51%) of Australians who said cost of living has impacted their healthcare decisions skipping or delaying a dental visit and almost a third (30%) of those missing or delaying buying essential medications.
• Overall satisfaction with Australian healthcare rose to 7.4 out of 10, increasing for the second year in a row, driven by the increasing availability of GP bulk billing and high trust in the quality of care provided by their GP.

1. AI is changing how Australians access healthcare

More than a third (36%) of Australians have used or encountered AI in healthcare in the past year. 51% of those used AI for general health information and 28% for symptom checks or self-diagnosis.

The shift is strongest among younger Australians. Almost one in five (18%) 18-34-year-olds now nominate an AI chat tool as their first port of call for non-emergency health advice, compared with 22% for Google.

AI users see value in the technology. Among those satisfied, 43% said it provided useful and accurate advice and 31% said the technology being cheaper or free compared to seeing a clinician contributed to their positive experience.

But trust remains a barrier for AI users - more than half (53%) are concerned about AI making mistakes, 44% worry about losing the human connection with their healthcare provider and 36% have privacy concerns.

Healthengine CEO Dan Stinton said AI is helping Australians understand and navigate healthcare, but cautioned against treating it as a substitute for clinical care.

"With AI adoption widespread and cost of living pressures increasing, it's easy to see why Australians are turning to chatbots for health information.

"But a bot can make mistakes and typically doesn't know a patient's medical history the way their GP does. If this becomes a trend we risk that cost could create a two-tiered experience, where those under the greatest financial pressure rely more heavily on AI instead of a trusted clinician."

2. Cost of living pressures continue to impact on care

Many Australians are not receiving the healthcare they need because of cost of living pressures, impacting on a wide range of primary and secondary care.

Of Australians who said cost of living has affected their healthcare decisions, over half (51%) have missed or delayed dental care, 43% have missed or delayed a specialist visit, and 39% have missed or delayed a GP appointment due to cost.

Financial pressures are also impacting on people filling prescriptions, with 30% of those affected putting off buying needed medications because they can't afford them.

Patients Australia CEO Lisa Robins said that affordability of care was a persistent problem.

"Cost is still forcing too many people to skip appointments, medication and other essentials.

This is obviously terrible for the people needing care, but it also creates cost pressures for the healthcare system in the long-term. "Treating illness early is always the most effective and cheapest, and both costs and health outcomes worsen whenever care is delayed."

3. Overall confidence in Australian healthcare is improving

Despite these cost pressures, overall satisfaction with Australian healthcare rose for the second consecutive year to 7.4 out of 10 - its highest level since 2021. Improved access to GP bulk billing is contributing to that confidence. More than two-thirds (67%) of Australians were bulk billed at their most recent GP visit, up significantly on the previous two surveys, and bulk billing was the most commonly cited reason among Australians who rated the healthcare system highly. GPs also recorded their highest recommendation score since the Australian Healthcare Index began in 2021, with an NPS of 39. Quality of care and good medical advice were the strongest reasons Australians gave for recommending their GP.

About the Australian Healthcare Index

The 2026 Australian Healthcare Index surveyed more than 6,000 Australian adults during June 2026. The online survey was run by Patients Australia and promoted by Healthengine, with responses weighted against Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census benchmarks to better reflect the Australian population.

Media contact: [email protected]

About Healthengine

Healthengine is Australia's leading healthcare provider booking platform, connecting millions of Australian patients with more than 10,000 practices using our technology. Healthengine's patient engagement technology helps practices reduce administration and make it easier for patients to access care, with online bookings, automated waitlists, smart recalls and smart appointment reminders, digital patient forms, integrated payments and AI-powered tools. Since Healthengine was founded in 2006, more than 108 million healthcare bookings have been made through the platform.

About Patients Australia

Patients Australia is an independent not-for-profit organisation that champions the rights of patients across Australia. It amplifies patients' voices and works to make their needs a priority in the health system. Patients Australia advocates for healthcare that is transparent, affordable, accessible and high quality. It works alongside policymakers and industry to support patients to drive change towards a more responsive and equitable health system for all Australians. For more information, visit patients.org.au.

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