STADA Health Report: 82 percent of Europeans support a greater role for artificial intelligence in healthcare

The STADA Group Health Report 2026 shows a European healthcare landscape shaped by the interplay of various forces – healthcare systems under constant pressure, a population empowered to take their health into their own hands, and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday personal care. This year’s survey shows that, for the first time, more than half of Europeans are already using this technology extensively for health-related purposes.

Across the continent, satisfaction with healthcare systems has not improved. Only 56 percent of people are satisfied, which is practically unchanged compared to 58 percent recorded last year, and represents a continuation of the multi year trend after the pandemic.

As the biggest healthcare challenges, 67 percent of Europeans point to the shortage of healthcare professionals and, as a consequence, long waiting lists. The availability of affordable healthcare is also under threat, with 43 percent naming this as their biggest concern, alongside an ageing population, chronic health conditions (56 percent) and a growing number of people affected by mental health problems (53 percent). When asked what they would change first if they were health ministers, as many as 58 percent of Europeans would prioritise reducing waiting lists by increasing the availability of healthcare professionals, and 49 percent would improve access to primary care.

In response to this pressure, Europeans are taking a more active role in managing their own health. As many as 78 percent feel well prepared to take care of themselves (in Serbia, 80 percent of citizens say the same), and 94 percent of Europeans practise self care for at least some health problems. The majority (85 percent) also use one or more tools to monitor their health, from fitness wristbands to home measuring devices.

Use of artificial intelligence in healthcare: In line with this growing awareness and self reliance in health matters, artificial intelligence has entered everyday use. As many as 55 percent of Europeans currently use it in connection with their health, while 82 percent are open to AI having a certain role in their care. Citizens of Serbia and Romania (74 percent each) lead Europe in the use of AI tools for health related questions. A significant share of Europeans (43 percent) would even be willing to make their complete medical records available to artificial intelligence in order to improve diagnosis, prevention or treatment, and 49 percent already trust or would be willing to accept a diagnosis established by artificial intelligence.

“The discussion about empowered, self reliant patients is accelerating, and artificial intelligence is driving this development at a much faster pace,” explains STADA Group CEO Peter Goldschmidt. “Europeans are no longer just patients waiting in line. They are active participants who combine personal action, digital tools and professional advice into something new. Everyone within the healthcare sector will have to adapt and act in line with these changes.”

Despite AI, trust keeps its human face: Are doctors and pharmacists at risk of becoming less relevant in view of the growing influence of artificial intelligence? Quite the opposite. Not only do most Europeans describe their general practitioners (77 percent) and pharmacists (57 percent) as the main influence on their health related decisions, they also draw a clear line when it comes to involving artificial intelligence in their care. They are most open to administrative and monitoring tasks such as appointment scheduling and follow up (50 percent), taking notes during doctor visits and monitoring chronic conditions (36 percent). In short: artificial intelligence is welcome as a healthcare assistant, but Europeans still want real people to make decisions. In fact, 38 percent are explicitly worried about reduced human interaction in an AI driven system, and 35 percent fear that the quality of communication with healthcare professionals could decline.

The role of healthcare professionals is evolving: Crucially, Europeans do not want healthcare professionals to retreat in the face of advancing artificial intelligence – they want them to take on more. 41 percent of Europeans expect them to offer more digital and remote consultations, 30 percent expect them to become even more important as trusted human contacts, and 26 percent expect them to act as advisers and interpreters helping patients navigate the growing flood of health information. Only 20 percent believe that the importance of healthcare professionals will decrease because of artificial intelligence. In other words, artificial intelligence is changing the role of healthcare professionals, but it is expanding it rather than diminishing it.

The findings of the STADA Group Health Report 2026 describe a healthcare reality in which empowered patients, digital tools and human expertise are no longer separate worlds.

“Among the many clear findings of this report is that this change is not a temporary solution for an overburdened system; it is itself becoming the model,” concludes Peter Goldschmidt. “Even among those who are most open to artificial intelligence, there is a desire for support, not replacement. Pharmacies are one of the most accessible and most trusted points of contact that most Europeans have with their healthcare system. The question is not whether they will change, but how they will evolve into centres that combine human expertise with the speed and reach of digital tools.”

The STADA Group Health Report is an independent, representative online study carried out for the STADA Group by Human8 in February and March 2026, based on a sample of almost 20,000 respondents from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.