Optimism about AI to improve healthcare is growing, research shows

A national consumer survey of 2,000 Americans found that 75% of respondents said they were “very” concerned about the financial impact of a health emergency. But 48% were optimistic about the potential of AI in health care to improve the accuracy, efficiency and outcomes of health care.

WHY IT MATTERS

Americans “are quickly waking up to the potential of AI to transform healthcare, with 48% of people already saying they are optimistic about AI-driven outcomes,” Max Votek, co-founder of Customertimes, the digital consultancy that sponsored the study, said in a statement.

The survey found that one in four respondents are convinced that AI will make treatments cheaper. 56% hope that AI medicine will lead to lower healthcare costs, Customertimes reported in its announcement.

The adviser said that the national investigation study revealed that:

• Americans are optimistic about the potential of AI to transform healthcare.
• Americans expect AI to improve diagnostic efficiency, make healthcare more efficient, and improve patient outcomes.
• Two in three Americans believe AI can diagnose medical conditions better than humans.
• Americans don’t expect AI to replace doctors and physicians, but rather to make their lives easier.

The researchers also found that 62% believe AI will outperform humans in diagnosing and treating conditions, and one in seven believe the technology will save healthcare jobs.

Notably, the company also said one in four are optimistic about the development of AI drugs and 40% believe AI can effectively predict treatment effects.

THE BIGGER TREND

Americans may be optimistic about using AI and other technologies to improve healthcare and reduce skyrocketing costs, but there has been a surge in AI investment since ChatGPT’s launch in November 2022, leading some to say: Show me the money.

The Customertimes research follows a new warning from Morgan Stanley Chief Investment Officer Mike Wilson that AI companies must show their investors revenues and profits.

“I see AI everywhere except in the numbers,” he said in a to summarize of a Starting bid podcasting.

There have been many successful AI implementations in healthcare that are delivering positive results.

Nurses at OhioHealth feel “more empowered” after the health system integrated an early discharge planning platform that uses artificial intelligence to reduce their discharge administrative burden and shorten patient lengths of stay, Jean Halpin, chief operating officer at Grant Medical Center, told Healthcare IT News Monday in a Q&A.

Mudit Garg, CEO of Qventus, which developed the EHR software, added that OhioHealth expects to see an additional 3,500 patients and realize $500,000 in operational cost savings in the first year after the first 30 days of use. A reduction of 1,400 days in the number of extra patient readmissions was noted.

In addition, there is the government-driven expectation of strict oversight of what US Health and Human Services calls decision support interventions.

HHS declined to delay certification requirements for predictive DSI algorithms for healthIT. HealthIT developers must complete risk assessments and mitigations related to validity, reliability, robustness, fairness, understandability, safety, security and privacy by the end of the month, the Office of the National Coordinator for Healthcare Technology said when it signed its healthIT certification rule in December.

According to the agency, health IT modules certified after August 31 have until December 2025 to incorporate the DSI criterion into their real-world testing plans. fact sheet with important dates.

However, the use of AI to deny medical payments or care, and allegations of racial bias in AI for healthcare, have also led to lawsuits. Humana and others are accused for allegedly using improper AI in rejecting Medicare Advantage applications.

ON THE RECORD

“AI appointment scheduling software that reduces wait times and AI medical imaging that delivers near-instant diagnoses are no longer science fiction,” Votek said in a statement.

“The technology is here and we are already seeing the benefits of AI in hospitals and operating rooms. Given the poor health of the sector, it is good news that the American public is already on board with the transformative potential of AI.”

Andrea Fox is Editor-in-Chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email address: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.

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