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Best Ways to Build Trust for Healthcare Brands in India in 2025

The Trust Challenge for Healthcare Brands in India

India’s healthcare sector is valued at $150 billion, driven by 900 million internet users and 1.2 billion monthly UPI transactions for digital health services. With 4,200+ healthcare startups in telemedicine, diagnostics, and wellness (Tracxn, 2025), trust is critical amid 61% of patients doubting hospital decisions. Atom Communication, a digital marketing observer, notes, “Healthcare brands struggle with mistrust, missing 92% consumer trust in earned media” (Nielsen, 2024). 

The Struggle: A Mumbai Healthcare Startup’s Missteps

A hypothetical Mumbai-based telemedicine startup, launched in 2024 with a ₹1 crore marketing budget, faced trust-building challenges:

With 85% of healthcare founders prioritizing trust for growth, strategic PR was essential to overcome mistrust.

Why Trust Matters for Healthcare Brands

What Patients and Media Want

What Brands Think Patients Want

What Patients Actually Want

Advanced tech promotions

Empathetic, transparent care

Corporate achievements

Community-driven impact

Doctor credentials

Relatable patient stories

Service ads

Trustworthy data insights

Pro Tip: Patients prioritize empathy and transparency, per EY Healthcare Report 2025.

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6 Proven Strategies to Build Trust for Healthcare Brands

1. Prioritize Empathetic Communication

  • Why It Works: 80% of patients trust providers who show empathy. Clear, compassionate messaging builds loyalty.
  • Example: Apollo Hospitals’ 2024 “Care with Heart” campaign on X drove 50,000 engagements.
  • How to Do It: Use patient-centric language in blogs or videos (e.g., “We understand your health concerns”). Train staff in empathy, per British Journal of General Practice findings.
  • Tip: 67% of patients value non-verbal cues like eye contact.

2. Share Patient Success Stories

  • Why It Works: 69% of consumers trust testimonials (Exploding Topics, 2025). Stories humanize brands.
  • Example: Practo’s 2024 YouTube patient recovery series boosted 25% app downloads.
  • How to Do It: Publish case studies (e.g., “Our Telemedicine Saved a Rural Patient’s Life”) on LinkedIn or YourStory. Target Tier-2/3 platforms like ShareChat.
  • Tip: 60% of healthcare users are in Tier-2/3 cities.

3. Publish Data-Driven Insights

  • Why It Works: 80% of editors value proprietary data (Nasscom Healthcare Report 2024). Transparent data builds credibility.
  • Example: 1mg’s 2024 report on “Rural Telemedicine Trends” landed 10 mentions in The Hindu.
  • How to Do It: Share metrics like “70% of Users Prefer UPI for Health Payments” in blogs or pitches to Mint. Create infographics for media.
  • Tip: 70% of trust comes from data transparency (EY Healthcare Report 2025).

4. Engage Vernacular and Regional Media

  • Why It Works: 60% of India’s media consumption is vernacular (Nasscom Healthcare Report 2024). Regional outlets like Dainik Jagran reach 70 million readers.
  • Example: Medanta’s 2024 Hindi campaign in Dainik Bhaskar drove 15,000 inquiries in Tier-2 cities.
  • How to Do It: Pitch hyperlocal stories (e.g., “Our Clinic Supports Tamil Nadu’s Rural Health”) to Eenadu or Sakshi. Align with festivals like Pongal.
  • Tip: 80% of patients prefer local brands.

5. Align with Health Policies and Trends

  • Why It Works: Stories tied to Ayushman Bharat, Digital Health Mission, or UPI in healthcare resonate, per. Policy hooks attract media.
  • Example: Portea’s 2024 Ayushman Bharat pitch secured Economic Times coverage, driving 12,000 visits.
  • How to Do It: Pitch stories like “Our App Powers Digital Health Mission for 1,000 Patients” to BusinessLine. Highlight 1.2B UPI transactions.
  • Tip: 50% of journalists seek trend-driven stories (Inc42, 2024).

6. Build Targeted Media Relationships

  • Why It Works: 50% of trust-building coverage comes from relationships. Targeted pitches outperform mass emails.
  • Example: Netmeds’ 2024 targeted pitches to Forbes India journalists landed 5 features, boosting 18% leads.
  • How to Do It: Identify 5-7 journalists covering healthcare on LinkedIn/X. Reference their work (e.g., “Loved your Mint piece on telemedicine”).
  • Tip: 80% of journalists prefer tailored pitches.

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Metrics to Track Impact

Metric

Before Campaign

After Campaign (30 Days)

LinkedIn Followers (Brand)

+4%

+20%

Patient Inquiries (Outreach)

2%

8%

Website Traffic (Direct/Referral)

+12%

+55%

App Downloads (Consumer)

5–10/day

25–40/day

Case Study: Mumbai Telemedicine Startup’s Trust Win

A Mumbai telemedicine startup’s 2024 campaign:

  • Empathetic Messaging: X campaign on “Care You Can Trust” drove 30,000 engagements.
  • Patient Stories: YouTube recovery videos boosted 20% app downloads.
  • Data Insights: “Rural Health Trends” report secured 7 mentions in Business Standard.
  • Regional Media: Sakshi pitches reached 25,000 readers in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Policy Alignment: Ayushman Bharat pitch landed Economic Times feature, driving 15% inquiries.
  • Result: 3x traffic and 40% inquiry growth in six months, per Invest India Healthcare Report 2023 metrics.

Why It Matters in 2025

India’s $150B healthcare market and 900 million internet usersmake trust vital for healthcare brands. 92% of patients value PR-driven trust for outcomes. Strategic PR—via empathetic communication, patient stories, data, vernacular media, policy alignment, and targeted outreach—drives loyalty, investors, and patients. 

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