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Americans see value in healthcare AI, but concerns remain

A national survey revealed that while many Americans are comfortable with artificial intelligence in healthcare, some have reservations about data privacy and security.

Shania Kennedy
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Published: 22 Aug 2024

Most Americans see the value of incorporating AI technology in healthcare, but many shared concerns about issues such as privacy, according to a recent national survey.

The poll -- conducted by SSRS on behalf of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center -- sampled 1,006 respondents regarding their opinions on healthcare AI use.

The findings revealed that 75% of respondents believe that utilizing the tools to minimize human error is important, and 70% reported being comfortable with AI taking notes during appointments. Approximately 71% would like the technology to reduce wait times in clinical settings.

An additional 66% indicated that AI should be used to improve work-life balance for healthcare providers.

To explore these potential benefits, the Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center piloted Microsoft's Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot, which uses ambient intelligence alongside a combination of conversational and generative AI to automate clinical documentation.

During clinical encounters, the tool listens to the patient-provider interaction to draft clinical notes within a patient's EHR. This is designed to allow providers more time to focus on the patient.

From mid-January to mid-March of this year, 24 clinicians across Wexner's network tested DAX Copilot during outpatient clinic visits. After receiving patients' permission to record the visit via the AI, providers proceeded through the encounter normally, and the tool prepared and organized the notes for review after the appointment was complete.

Healthcare AI saves time and improves patient-provider interaction

With this new workflow, clinicians saved a significant amount of documentation time.

"We found it saved up to four minutes per visit. That's time the physician can use to connect with the patient, do education and make sure they understand the plan going forward," said Ravi Tripathi, MD, chief health information officer at the OSU Wexner Medical Center, in a press release. "A few clinicians preferred their old workflow but, overall, 80% completed the pilot. In fact, we allowed them to keep using the AI solution afterward because it had significantly impacted their practices in the eight weeks of testing."

Pilot participants noted that using the AI helped improve their interactions with patients without sacrificing documentation quality.

"Documentation is necessary, but it takes away from the quality of patient interaction during a visit. I even apologize. I say, 'I'm sorry, I know I'm making more eye contact with the computer than with you,'" stated Harrison Jackson, MD, an internist at OSU Wexner Medical Center.

Jackson noted that the AI wasn't perfect -- sometimes mistaking one word for another or using incorrect pronouns -- but stated that these issues are easily fixed during chart review after seeing a patient.

"I'm spending as much if not more time with each patient, and it's higher quality time with more eye contact. I often mention aspects of a physical exam out loud for the AI program to capture, and it prompts a good conversation with my patient," Jackson said. "I've also let our residents use the technology under my supervision, and we've noticed the quality of their patient interactions and the quality of plans they present have improved."

Proper AI governance to alleviate privacy concerns

Despite these successes, addressing patients' reservations about healthcare AI will be crucial for successful adoption in the industry.

The survey found that 70% of participants reported concerns about data privacy, and 56% indicated that they find healthcare AI "a little scary."

But Tripathi indicated that some of these issues can be avoided with proper AI governance and stewardship from healthcare stakeholders.

"I know patients are concerned about the privacy and the security of their data, but we hold the artificial intelligence and this technology to the same standards that we hold our electronic medical record," he said.

As of July 2024, the health system expanded DAX Copilot access to all providers working in outpatient settings. In the first two weeks of deployment, 100 clinicians have reportedly regained 64 hours of their time back, and patients are reporting improved satisfaction and more valuable conversations with providers.

Shania Kennedy has been covering news related to health IT and analytics since 2022.

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