Doctors’ use of and demand for augmented intelligence in medical practice is on the rise — with many factors that could bolster or risk adoption on the journey toward AI in the doctor’s office, based on the latest survey from the American Medical Association (AMA) published this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The AMA polled U.S. physicians in November 2024 to gauge their views on augmented intelligence (AI) addressing doctors’ use of AI, perceived opportunities and risks, and enabling factors for adoption.

This study updates AMA’s survey conducted in 2023 and found significantly growing confidence and utilization of AI for certain use cases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topline key findings were that,

  • Physician sentiment of AI is trending positive with greater enthusiasm, as 2 in 3 doctors reported “at least” some advantage in patient care
  • Growing use of AI in practice nearly doubled to 66% in 2024 compared with 38% in 2023 — “unusually fast for healthcare technology adoption” in the words of AMA
  • The key opportunity for AI among these physicians was addressing administrative burden and the use cases in that category.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to addressing the administrative burden and efficiency, a key knock-on positive effect would be helping to reduce stress and burnout — a key barrier to the U.S. health system achieving the Quintuple Aim for a high performing health system.

Note on the right side of the chart attention to cognitive overload, as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health Populi’s Hot Points: Physicians have become more familiar with various AI use cases that are helping reduce administrative burden, bolster cognitive processes, and streamline scribing, documentation, and notes.

But many physicians report uncertainty about whether they are actually usual AI tools in practice — whether for non-clinical, administrative applications or for clinical use.

While there is a significant increase in doctors currently using or planning to adopt AI use in the short-run, there are many enabling factors that could be levers to bolster and sustain physician use of AI in practice. First, U.S. doctors would want to see increased oversight in terms of regulatory actions that could increase their trust in adopting AI tools — such as oversight from the FDA, the top-ranked regulatory action noted in the survey among nearly one-half for “first” and by another 18% for “second” regulatory desire.

In addition, there are at least a dozen key facilitators for AI adoption that could foster physicians’ use of the technology, shown in the last bar chart. Top among these factors include feedback loops for channeling experience and input, data privacy assurances by the hospital/provider and EHR vendors, integration with EHRs and workflows, training and seeing a physician-leader overseeing the Ai implementation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To that point, see this last chart where I added the red oval around a data point that stands out: that one-half of physicians would like to be consulted before a decision on the AI solution or plan is made.

This is the simple, crucial, voice of user-centered design — that the actual people using a technology or service should be part of the design input, the process, and testing, and in this case, the leadership for advocating the AI program.

As we say in patient engagement and advocacy mantras, “Nnthing about me, without me.”

Here, the physicians are expressing their voice. Heard, noted, and supported!