A new survey shows physicians are optimistic about using generative AI in healthcare clinical decision-making and patient care, but having a trusted content source is key to adoption.
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is poised to transform healthcare industry and the way clinicians deliver care. An analysis by McKinsey suggests there is an unrealized $1 trillion of improvement potential within the healthcare industry through efficiencies like better data interpretation, automating tedious work, and more quickly surfacing the latest research to clinicians’ fingertips. However, unless the technology is helpful in clinical service and can improve the accuracy of outcomes, diagnoses, and treatments, it won’t be adopted or leveraged to its fullest potential.
One key element of any technology adoption is trust, and GenAI is no different. A new survey commissioned by Wolters Kluwer asked practicing U.S. physicians in large hospitals and health systems about their perceptions of the use of GenAI in healthcare – the result was generally optimism alongside a heavy dose of scepticism about the content sources. Understanding physician perceptions and concerns is key for any organization looking to implement GenAI across their care teams.
The benefits of GenAI at the point of care
The benefits and new opportunities for GenAI to support physicians at the point of care has been widely reported on, from Google partnering with the Mayo Clinic to interpret health data more quickly to improving clinical notes and documentation. The survey found physicians are generally optimistic towards the new technology, with 68% reporting they are more likely to see GenAI as beneficial compared to how they felt a year prior.
Physicians see how they can save time by using GenAI to quickly search medical literature (68%) and surface data to assist in clinical decision making (54%). There are also wider benefits for care teams. 81% of physicians surveyed said they felt GenAI can help improve care team interactions with patients and almost half (46%) said it can help coordinate scheduling across teams to facilitate timely care.
Sources matter: Clinician experts as the foundation of GenAI content
But where physicians are more selective about GenAI tools comes down to a key component: the source material the technology relies on.
Many reports have been released about “hallucinations” in GenAI – where the AI generates content that can seem realistic, but is actually fabricated information based on trained language patterns. The consequences to healthcare could be dire, and addressing this issue head-on is key: what is the source material the technology is surfacing and can it be trusted?
Before using GenAI in clinical decisions, 91% of physicians surveyed would have to know the source materials were created by doctors and medical experts. For the majority of physicians (58%), knowing the content was created by medical professionals was the number one factor in selecting a GenAI tool.
Source transparency also matters. 89% of physicians said they would be more likely to use GenAI in clinical decision-making if the technology vendor was transparent about where the information came from, who created it, and how it was sourced.
For patient care, the right GenAI technology partner is key
To be successful, healthcare leadership would benefit from taking physician in put into consideration when assessing GenAI solutions for their care teams. The foundation of any new technology and its successful implementation is being able to trust the information sources and the vendor. In this case, having a trusted solution that harnesses GenAI to more efficiently surface the latest clinical insights and care recommendations compiled by experts can become a trusted, efficient re source for care teams.
- To learn more, download the full executive brief, get the free infographic, and learn how Wolters Kluwer is incorporating GenAI <https://bit.ly/4a6ZcQP> into its trusted decision support solution, UpToDate <https://bit.ly/3WtBPxP>.
