Medical Expectations of Physicians on AI Solutions in Daily Practice: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Physician Technology Adoption

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly discussed in medicine, raising expectations, doubts, and fears among physicians.
• Surveys are valuable tools for understanding physician perspectives on AI integration into daily practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore physicians' knowledge, expectations, and fears regarding the use of AI in their daily practice.
• To analyze these perceptions based on physician sex and years since graduation.

Main Methods:

• An electronic survey was distributed to physicians at a large Brazilian hospital between August and September 2022.
• Data from 164 respondents were analyzed to assess AI knowledge, intended use, perceived benefits, and concerns.

Main Results:

• Most physicians (54.3%) reported intermediate AI knowledge and believed AI should be governmentally regulated (78.5%).
• A majority intended to use AI for diagnosis (87.2%), management (85.4%), and exam interpretation (91.5%) if reliable and available, but showed less approval for AI use by colleagues or patients.
• Key concerns included over-reliance leading to skill loss (72.4%), while perceived benefits included increased diagnostic and management speed (61.3%).
• Physicians with less experience (≤10 years since graduation) were more likely to adopt AI than those with >20 years.
• Female physicians were more receptive to other hospital staff using AI compared to male physicians.

Conclusions:

• Physicians exhibit positive expectations for AI in medicine when used for their own practice, contingent on regulatory approval.
• While anticipating AI's beneficial impact on healthcare efficiency, physicians also harbor specific concerns about its implementation and potential drawbacks.
• Adoption rates and receptiveness to AI vary significantly based on years of experience and physician sex.