Over a quarter of doctors (29%) have used some form of AI in their practice in the last 12 months, with more than half (52%) optimistic about its use in healthcare. This is according to a new survey of UK doctors published by The Alan Turing Institute today (Wednesday 23 October).
However, despite AI being embedded in the working life of many doctors, most indicated that they are not making any use of AI systems in their work, and more than half (54%) believe that the opportunities AI present to the profession are not being fully explored.
The survey, which received 929 responses from a sample of doctors on the UK medical register, aimed to understand their experiences and perceptions of AI systems in healthcare.
Doctors who reported using some form of AI were generally confident in using these systems and agreed that the outputs are clear and understandable. However, whilst many doctors were positive about the potential of AI, the survey did find that around a third of all doctors (32%) felt they did not fully understand the risks presented by the use of AI in healthcare.
The results also showed there is some uncertainty about who is responsible for decisions that were aided by AI systems. Nearly 70% of the respondents said they had not received adequate training to understand their professional responsibilities when using these systems.
The survey also highlights that the use of AI differs between specialty, with doctors working in medicine and radiology being more likely to report using AI systems compared to other specialty groups.
AI systems have significant potential to support clinicians when making decisions to help improve efficiency and patient outcomes. However, the researchers believe it is crucial that practitioners feel supported to use these systems effectively in their work.
Youmna Hashem, a researcher in the AI for Public Services team at The Alan Turing Institute and report author, said: “It‘s encouraging to see that medical professionals are mostly positive about the opportunities of AI in medicine. But our research shows that better training is needed to fully realise the full potential of AI and to help doctors feel confident using it in their roles.”
Dr Jonathan Bright, Head of Online Safety and AI for Public Services at The Alan Turing Institute, said: “AI has the potential to revolutionise our healthcare system by helping doctors to make important decisions about the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. This survey provides valuable insight into how doctors feel about AI as well as their experience using it so far. We are optimistic that AI will continue to make efficiencies and advance progress in healthcare.”
