US Physicians Embracing Generative AI for Patient Care, But Transparency is Key

What You Should Know: 

– A new survey by Wolters Kluwer Health reveals a significant shift in US physicians’ attitudes towards generative AI (GenAI). 

– The study reveals that 40% of doctors are now prepared to use GenAI tools when interacting with patients at the point of care. This marks a rapid rise in acceptance, with nearly 70% of respondents admitting their views on GenAI have become more positive over the past year.

GenAI Seen as a Time-Saving and Collaborative Tool

The survey highlights the potential benefits of GenAI in addressing physician burnout and improving care delivery:

• Improved Care Team Interaction: 81% of doctors believe GenAI can enhance collaboration between care teams and patients.
• Time Efficiency: Over half (59%) of respondents believe GenAI can save them over 20% of their time, with functionalities like summarizing patient data from electronic health records (EHRs) and streamlining literature searches.

Doctor-Patient Divide on GenAI Adoption

The survey reveals a potential gap in perception between doctors and patients regarding GenAI:

• Confidence in GenAI Results: Two-thirds of physicians believe patients would trust GenAI-based clinical decisions, whereas only half of patients expressed such confidence.
• Patient Concerns About Diagnosis: Only 20% of physicians believe patients would be worried about GenAI involvement in diagnosis, while 80% of patients reported such concerns.

Physicians Prioritize Transparency and Medical Expertise in GenAI

The survey underscores the need for clear guidelines and responsible development of GenAI for healthcare:

• Limited Existing Guidelines: Over a third of physicians reported a lack of established guidelines for GenAI use within their organizations.
• Medical Expertise in Content Creation: The most crucial factor for 58% of doctors when selecting a GenAI tool is the involvement of medical professionals in content creation and training.
• Transparency and Vendor Reputation: Nearly 90% of doctors said they would be more likely to use GenAI if vendors provided clear information about data sources and were reputable companies in the healthcare sector.

“Physicians’ are open to using generative AI in a clinical setting provided that applications are useful and trustworthy,” said Dr. Peter Bonis, Chief Medical Officer, Wolters Kluwer Health. “The source of content and transparency are key considerations.”