AI Mode and Thematic Search: What it means for healthcare visibility

The way people search for health-related information is changing rapidly. With the rollout of AI-powered overviews in search results, users are being met with fast, summarised answers to increasingly specific and conversational queries. And with Google’s newer feature, AI Mode, this search behaviour is going even deeper.

AI Mode can interpret complex health and lifestyle-related queries and deliver nuanced answers, even encouraging follow-up questions from users. Behind this innovation is a method called the Query Fan-Out Technique, which allows the AI to generate layered responses by sourcing and summarising content across many platforms.

So, how can healthcare marketers prepare for this shift in how information is found and presented? Let’s take a closer look at Thematic Search, a concept outlined in a December 2024 Google patent that may underpin AI Mode’s structure, and how it could impact visibility for health content online.

Thematic Search is designed to group information by topic or theme rather than serving a single linear answer. For example, a query like “managing chronic pain without opioids” might be expanded into themes such as “alternative therapies”, “lifestyle changes”, “risks and benefits”, and “patient experiences”, each with its own AI-generated summary.

These summaries are drawn from a range of online sources and aim to provide users with a quick, easy-to-understand overview that covers multiple angles on a topic. This creates a more holistic search experience but also means that information from multiple sites may be blended, presenting a new challenge for brand visibility.

According to Google’s patent, here’s how Thematic Search functions:

• It identifies themes related to a user’s query and pulls content from various online sources.
• A summary generator (likely using large language models) creates digestible overviews of each theme.
• Thematic relevance is assessed and more relevant themes are prioritised in the layout.
• Titles, metadata and contextual cues help determine what content is grouped where.

Results may appear in new formats, such as cards, carousels, or expandable lists, often without a click needed.

Source: Thematic Search patent document

An example in a health context might be a user searching “how to lower cholesterol”, then seeing summaries on “dietary changes”, “medication options”, and “genetic factors”, all displayed in themed sections without requiring a user to visit a single site.

For pharma and healthcare marketers, the implications are significant. If your content is being summarised alongside others’ within a theme, and users are satisfied by what they see at a glance, traditional clickthrough metrics may decline.

This is part of a broader trend toward zero-click search, where the information a user needs is available directly in the search interface. However, rather than viewing this as a loss, it should be seen as a prompt to evolve content strategy.

Even if fewer people click through, being featured within a theme still builds brand authority particularly when users are researching sensitive or complex healthcare topics where trust matters.

To ensure your content stands out in this new AI-enhanced search environment, consider the following:

• Structure for scanning: Use clear headings, schema markup, and meta descriptions that signal relevance across a range of subtopics.
• Cover related questions: Either within a single long-form page or across a series of linked pages, ensure your content speaks to adjacent concerns (e.g. “side effects of treatment X” + “how to talk to your GP about X”).
• Prioritise accuracy and clarity: With multiple sources potentially blended into a theme, being factually robust and well-referenced helps your content be selected and trusted.

Build thematic authority: Create topic clusters and connect relevant pages through internal links. This helps Google see your site as a comprehensive source for specific health conditions or treatments.

As AI-driven search continues to shift how people access and interact with healthcare information, content strategies will need to become more intelligent, multifaceted, and patient-centric.

Want to explore how AI Mode and Thematic Search could impact your brand’s health content? Get in touch with the team at Varn Health.