U.S. consumers remain optimistic about the potential of generative artificial intelligence to address health care access and affordability challenges, according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions’ new 2024 consumer survey. But they still have some doubts about AI tools.
WHY IT MATTERS
Despite a general sense of optimism, the public’s use of genAI tools for health reasons has declined somewhat since the initial interest shown in last year’s Deloitte survey – with 37% of consumers using it in 2024, compared to 40% in 2023.
One of the most prominent reasons for stagnant adoption, according to researchers, is distrust in AI output, which the report shows has increased by 7% since last year.
To increase trust in genAI tools, healthcare organizations must align the technology with patients’ values, expectations and trust, Deloitte advises in the new report.
Of the more than 2,000 U.S. adults surveyed in March 2024 about their use of genAI, 66% believe it could reduce longer wait times for doctor appointments and lower individual healthcare costs.
However, when asked why they don’t use GenAI for health and wellness purposes, 30% of consumers responded this year’s survey“I don’t trust the information” compared to 23% in 2023, Deloitte researchers said.
While distrust in genAI output has increased across all age groups, distrust among millennials and baby boomers increased by 9% and 8%, respectively. Thirty percent of millennials said they did not trust health GenAI information, while 32% of baby boomers said they did not.
Behind a lack of confidence, 30% of consumers in the survey said they didn’t have to look anything up, 29% said they didn’t know how to use genAI technology, and 24% of respondents said they didn’t think genAI would can help answer health-related questions.
Using free and available GenAI tools, which sometimes provide inaccurate health and wellness information, can reduce trust in the technology.
To gain their trust and improve adoption, healthcare organizations can:
- Engage physicians as change agents. Because 74% of Deloitte survey respondents considered physicians their most trusted sources of healthcare information, physicians could serve as key influencers and educate consumers about the potential benefits of vendor-curated and monitored GenAI tools, including faster and more accurate diagnoses and more personalized care. the researchers said.
- Be transparent to the consumer. Of survey respondents who are not currently using genAI themselves, 64% said they support their healthcare providers in using it, with the assurance that their data is being used responsibly and securely, according to Deloitte.
- Engage community partners as advocates for the technology. The Deloitte researchers recommend that healthcare organizations leverage credible community-based organizations to answer consumers’ questions about genAI and promote its wider adoption.
THE BIG TREND
Earlier this year, Deloitte published a survey of 60 healthcare executives that provided a broad picture of genAI technology adoption and potential blind spots.
In the previous study, researchers found that healthcare leaders implementing and scaling genAI must pay more attention to governance, patient preferences and staffing needs.
“Generative AI can deepen and restore trust, or exacerbate mistrust and introduce new skepticism among both consumers and healthcare stakeholders,” they said, noting that governance is critical to ensuring effective use and quality of data, reducing bias and ensuring privacy.
ON THE RECORD
“Implementing a genAI framework that emphasizes transparency, explainability, monitoring, and…
assessment could significantly increase consumer confidence,” Deloitte researchers said in a statement about the new report.
“For example, a clinical recommendation generated with the help of GenAI may require a disclaimer stating that it was derived from the system,” she added. “In addition, consumers should be provided with accessible data or explanations as to why this recommendation has been made.”
Andrea Fox is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.