Deloitte Center for Healthcare Solutions’ new 2024 consumer survey finds US consumers remain optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence to solve service access challenges Health care and affordability. But they still have some reservations about AI tools.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Despite the general sense of optimism, public use of genAI tools for health-related reasons has declined slightly since the initial wave of interest shown in Deloitte’s study last year – by 37%. consumers use it in 2024 versus 40% in 2024. 2023.
One of the most prominent reasons for stagnant adoption is mistrust in AI output, which the report found has increased 7% since last year, the researchers found.
To increase trust in genAI tools, healthcare organizations must align the technology with patient values, expectations and beliefs, Deloitte advises in a new report.
Of more than 2,000 U.S. adults surveyed in March 2024 about the use of genAI, 66% said it could reduce long wait times for doctor’s appointments and reduce the cost of care. personal health care.
However, when asked why they don’t use GenAI for health and wellness purposes, 30% of consumers said in this year’s survey: “I don’t trust the information” compared to 23% last year. 2023, according to Deloitte researchers.
While distrust of genAI’s results has increased with age demographics, distrust among millennials and baby boomers increased by 9% and 8%, respectively. 30% of millennials said they do not trust genAI information about health while 32% of baby boomers said they do not trust it.
Behind the lack of trust, 30% of consumers said in the survey that they did not need to look anything up, 29% said they did not know how to use genAI technology, and 24% of respondents said they don’t think genAI can help. Answer health-related questions.
Using free and available GenAI tools, which can sometimes provide inaccurate health and fitness information, can reduce trust in the technology.
To gain their trust and improve adoption, healthcare organizations can:
- Engage clinicians as change agents. Because 74% of Deloitte survey respondents consider physicians their most trusted source of healthcare information, clinicians can serve as key influencers, educating consumers. about the potential benefits of vendor-managed and monitored GenAI tools, including faster and more accurate diagnoses and more personalized care, researchers said.
- Be transparent with consumers. According to Deloitte, among survey respondents who are not currently using genAI, 64% said they support their healthcare providers using genAI with the assurance that their data is used. Use responsibly and safely.
- Enlist community partners as technology advocates. Deloitte researchers recommend that healthcare organizations leverage trusted community organizations to address consumer questions about genAI and encourage broader adoption of genAI .
BIGGER TREND
Earlier this year, Deloitte released a survey of 60 healthcare industry executives, providing a general perspective on the evolution of genomicAI technology and potential blind spots.
In previous research, researchers found that healthcare leaders implementing and looking to scale genAI need to focus more on governance, patient preferences, and workforce needs. dynamic.
“Innovative AI can either deepen and restore trust or exacerbate mistrust and cause new skepticism among consumers and healthcare stakeholders,” they said. Strong”. Also note that governance is critical to ensure effective use and quality of data, minimize bias, and protect privacy.
ON PROFILE
“Implementing the genAI framework emphasizes transparency, explainability, monitoring and
Reviews can significantly build consumer trust,” Deloitte researchers said in a statement about the new report.
“For example, a clinical recommendation generated with GenAI support may require a disclaimer indicating that it is system-derived,” they added. “Along with this, consumers should be provided with accessible data or an explanation as to why the recommendation was made.”
Andrea Fox is a senior editor at Healthcare IT News.
Email: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
