A survey by the American Medical Association (AMA) asked over 1,000 doctors in the U.S. about AI in healthcare. Almost two-thirds said AI has benefits like better diagnosis, more efficient work, and improved patient care. Specifically, 72% thought AI could help with diagnosing, 69% believed it would improve work efficiency, and 61% expected better clinical outcomes.
Even with this positive view, only 38% of doctors were actually using AI tools when the survey was done. Many worried about patient privacy and how AI might affect the doctor-patient relationship. About 41% of doctors were concerned about protecting patient data, and 39% worried AI might hurt the personal connection with patients. Dr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, AMA President, said, “patients need to know there is a human being on the other end helping guide their course of care.”
Another issue was the need for clear rules on how AI should be used. About 78% said knowing how AI makes decisions and how it is checked would increase trust and safety.
These results show that while doctors are open to AI, they want it to be clear and well controlled before using it widely.
Transparency is very important for accepting AI in healthcare. Doctors want to know how AI comes to its decisions, especially for clinical care. Explainable AI (XAI) helps by giving clear reasons behind AI’s suggestions. This makes doctors feel more comfortable using it.
Still, AI has problems. Sometimes it can be biased or face security risks. In 2024, a data breach involving WotNot showed that healthcare AI systems can be vulnerable. More than 60% of healthcare workers worried about using AI because they do not fully understand it and fear data risks.
To fix this, both technical and ethical protections are needed. This means stronger security, ways to reduce bias, and regular checks to keep AI fair and safe. Companies must keep track of how their AI works after release and report any problems.
AI for healthcare needs teamwork. Providers, policymakers, AI makers, regulators, and patients all play a part.
International efforts like AIOLIA, backed by Horizon Europe, work to create global rules for AI. Countries such as the EU member states, Canada, China, Japan, and South Korea join to balance innovation with ethical use. These partnerships influence rules in places like the U.S.
In the U.S., clear regulations are important. Doctors and managers want clear paths for how AI should be used, who is responsible if something goes wrong, and rules about openness. The AMA and others want AI in healthcare to be ethical, fair, responsible, and supervised by humans.
The British Standards Institution’s BS30440 guideline is an example of a full framework focused on safety, ethics, and effectiveness. The U.S. could use similar rules to avoid confusion and uneven adoption of AI.
Programs like England’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) show how government support can help research and AI use grow. Similar U.S. programs could help move AI from trials into daily practice.
AI can help healthcare run more smoothly. Doctors often spend too much time on paperwork and admin tasks. AI can lower this burden.
AI already helps with documentation, billing, and insurance approvals. The AMA survey found 54% of doctors think AI can assist with medical chart notes and billing codes, and 48% believe it can speed up insurance authorizations.
AI is also used for front-office phone tasks. Simbo AI, for example, uses AI to handle calls efficiently. This type of automation can:
These improvements help patients by making care and coordination easier. About 56% of doctors believe AI can improve these areas.
AI phone systems can also give steady, reliable service that lowers stress for staff and stops workflow slowdowns. For IT managers, adding such systems means smoother work that helps front-desk staff instead of replacing them.
Using AI for this is important for small practices and clinics with few administrative workers. Automated calls and digital tools can make patients happier and boost admin efficiency.
AI brings ethical challenges in healthcare. It is important to protect patient rights, avoid bias, keep fairness, and be clear about how AI works. The SHIFT framework helps guide responsible AI use. It includes five key ideas:
In the U.S., practice leaders must check AI tools carefully and make sure companies follow these ideas. They should openly share how AI makes decisions and is monitored so doctors and patients feel confident using it.
Healthcare workers often deal with incomplete or scattered data. This makes decisions and patient care harder. A 2025 report called the Future Health Index found 83% of healthcare workers lose important clinical time managing mixed-up or hard-to-get information.
AI can help by combining and studying complex data from images, medical records, and admin files. This leads to faster and better clinical decisions and fewer delays.
For healthcare managers and IT staff, using AI for data linking and predicting needs means better use of resources, shorter patient wait times, and safer care. Some healthcare groups using AI for resource management have seen better financial planning and more personalized treatment.
Still, 63% of healthcare workers are positive about AI, but only 48% of patients trust AI-driven care. Closing this gap needs clear communication about AI’s good points and limits, and strong efforts to protect patient privacy and data.
For healthcare administrators, owners, and IT managers in the U.S., adding AI means dealing with key concerns:
Companies like Simbo AI show how AI can help with front-office calls in healthcare. This helps handle many calls while still keeping good patient contact.
By choosing AI tools that explain how they work and follow ethical rules, medical practices in the U.S. can better manage resources and improve both work and patient satisfaction.
As healthcare AI grows, its success in the U.S. will depend on keeping human oversight, clear rules, and teamwork across fields. These parts are needed to build trust and make sure AI helps without risking patient privacy or care quality.
Physicians have guarded enthusiasm for AI in healthcare, with nearly two-thirds seeing advantages, although only 38% were actively using it at the time of the survey.
Physicians are particularly concerned about AI’s impact on the patient-physician relationship and patient privacy, with 39% worried about relationship impacts and 41% about privacy.
The AMA emphasizes that AI must be ethical, equitable, responsible, and transparent, ensuring human oversight in clinical decision-making.
Physicians believe AI can enhance diagnostic ability (72%), work efficiency (69%), and clinical outcomes (61%).
Promising AI functionalities include documentation automation (54%), insurance prior authorization (48%), and creating care plans (43%).
Physicians want clear information on AI decision-making, efficacy demonstrated in similar practices, and ongoing performance monitoring.
Policymakers should ensure regulatory clarity, limit liability for AI performance, and promote collaboration between regulators and AI developers.
The AMA survey showed that 78% of physicians seek clear explanations of AI decisions, demonstrated usefulness, and performance monitoring information.
The AMA advocates for transparency in automated systems used by insurers, requiring disclosure of their operation and fairness.
Developers must conduct post-market surveillance to ensure continued safety and equity, making relevant information available to users.
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