How a trusted GP uses AI will be critical to how the technology is accepted by patients across the whole of healthcare.
The conscientious implementation of AI scribes by GPs could lay the foundations for AI tools assisting diagnosis and disease detection, which could be transformative, say researchers.
Healthcare management technology provider Connected Health, through the strategic design consultancy Tobias, has published an exploration into the intersection of general practice and AI medical scribes.
“The integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare continues to evolve, bringing a range of transformative technologies to clinical settings across Australia,” reads the report.
AI medical scribes are among the first AI tools gaining traction in the healthcare sector.
Their implementation bears the responsibility of “playing a crucial role in establishing trust and paving the way for broader AI acceptance in the healthcare space”, say researchers Dr Meg Tonkin and registered nurse Nicole Jess.
“Responsible practice, including obtaining of informed consent and user-friendly implementation will be essential for building confidence in this emerging technology.
“Successful implementation of AI scribes may encourage adoption of future AI tools and support wider AI integration into healthcare, contributing to an improved healthcare future for Australians.”
Concerns remain around the safety, effectiveness and consumer acceptance of these technologies.
The report collated independent market research on the experience of GPs and consumers of AI scribes by interviewing six GPs from NSW and Victoria and 11 consumers from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.
According to the research, AI scribes have the potential to improve the quality of patient-GP interactions and facilitate more attentive care.
“The non-invasive nature of AI scribes means it functions as a silent partner to the GP in consultations without disrupting the flow of communication or the natural dynamics of the encounter,” reads the report.
“This leads to some consumers feeling a greater connection with their GP in consultations.”
The paper found that despite varying levels of familiarity with AI technology, consumers remained generally comfortable with its use in general practice.
“GPs report that most consumers agree to the use of AI scribes when their consent is requested. This indicates a widespread acceptance of the tool.
Related
“Consumer trust in their individual GP, responsible practices regarding transparency and consent, and the idea that the tool was for GP effectiveness were all key factors that contributed to consumers providing consent and comfort.
“While this study has limitations, it suggests that use of the AI scribes in Australia will be readily accepted by consumers when introduced in a conscientious manner by a trusted GP.”
However, despite being largely invisible to patients, GPs struggle with a feeling of being observed.
“This sense aligned with a feeling of surveillance or monitoring which impacted their experience and ability to carry out the session with a normal level of comfort,” reads the report.
According to the research, transparency, particularly around consent, and accountability from GPs will be paramount to maintain consumer confidence.
“Consumers expect their GP to ensure that privacy, accuracy and the process of consent are upheld,” they said.
“Any breach of this trust through unclear practices or perceived riskiness could discourage consumer confidence, slow adoption and crucially, hinder future uptake of AI tools.”
The research found that while obtaining consent was “standard practice” it was not “standardised practice”, meaning the process was highly variable.
Conscientious and consistent implementation of AI scribes should help facilitate the acceptance of AI tools for other functions, like assisting diagnosis and disease detection, said the authors.
“This is critically dependant on the consumer being involved and feeling empowered through the asking of consent and the transparent communication of the AI scribe functioning, including its inaccuracies, and sharing of outputs.
“The outcomes of adopting AI scribes and carefully managing the involvement of consumers in the journey, may be transformative for healthcare.”
The full report – AI medical scribes in primary care – can be read here.