Artificial Intelligence in Primary Care: Support or Additional Burden on Physicians' Healthcare Work?-A Qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Primary Care Research
• Human-Computer Interaction in Healthcare

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly promoted for enhancing primary care diagnostics, workflows, and quality.
• Limited empirical evidence exists on primary care physicians' (PCPs) perceptions, engagement, and emotional responses to AI in clinical settings.
• Concerns include AI usability, transparency, and its impact on professional identity, workload, and the physician-patient relationship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the lived experiences and perceptions of primary care physicians regarding AI integration in everyday clinical practice.
• To explore PCPs' attitudes, concerns, and perceived benefits and drawbacks of using AI technologies.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 28 primary care physicians in diverse German outpatient settings.
• Purposive sampling ensured variation in physician age, practice characteristics, and digital proficiency.
• Thematic analysis using Mayring's qualitative content analysis framework was applied to transcribed interview data.

Main Results:

• Physicians expressed ambivalent views on AI, recognizing potential for diagnostic support, administrative relief, and preventive care facilitation.
• Concerns centered on workflow disruptions, lack of algorithmic transparency, increased cognitive/emotional strain, and threats to clinical autonomy.
• AI's impact on the physician-patient relationship was viewed as dual-edged, with potential for enhanced trust or depersonalization of care.

Conclusions:

• Primary care physicians' engagement with AI is characterized by cautious optimism, balancing perceived utility against significant concerns.
• Successful and ethical AI implementation necessitates co-design, clinician involvement, algorithmic transparency, and seamless workflow integration.
• Foundational AI literacy in health professional curricula is crucial for responsible future use, safeguarding professional integrity and the humanistic core of care.