Patients Say Yes to AI in Healthcare—If It Means More Time With Their Doctors

Most Patients Support AI in Healthcare If It Means More Time with Doctors

Recent survey results reveal that patients have mixed feelings about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. While many remain uncomfortable with AI playing a role in diagnosis and treatment planning, there is clear support for AI tools that reduce administrative burdens and increase face-to-face time with physicians.

Patient Attitudes Toward AI in Diagnosis and Treatment

A survey conducted by ModMed of 2,000 U.S. patients found that 55% are uncomfortable with AI being used for diagnosis or treatment decisions. This marks a slight improvement compared to a 2023 survey by Pew Research Center, which reported 60% discomfort. Patients want AI to meet strict safety and accuracy standards before it is applied in clinical decision-making.

Support for AI in Documentation and Administrative Tasks

Despite reservations about AI in diagnosis, over half of patients (57%) favor AI assisting with documentation during medical visits if it translates into more time with their doctor. Three-quarters of respondents reported spending less than 15 minutes with their physician per visit, with a significant portion of that time consumed by documentation tasks.

• 35% approve AI use for scheduling and appointment reminders.
• 31% support AI in patient check-in processes.
• 42% are comfortable with AI assisting in prescription refills.

These results suggest patients value AI as a tool to streamline administrative duties, freeing clinicians to focus more on patient care.

Demand for Transparency and Safety

Patients want clear communication regarding AI's role in their healthcare. The survey found:

• 83% want AI used in diagnosis and treatment to meet safety and accuracy standards.
• 72% believe it is important to know where the AI's training data comes from.
• 81% want to be informed if AI is being used at their doctor's office.
• 55% desire notification when AI contributes to diagnosis or treatment decisions.
• 46% want to know if AI is involved in follow-up care, such as lab result interpretation.

Regarding communication style, 40% prefer hearing about AI use directly from their physician or care team. Others are open to signing consent forms (31%) or reviewing information on provider websites (27%).

Financial Concerns and AI

One area of caution surrounds financial data: 34% of patients are uncomfortable with AI accessing their credit card information. Nonetheless, 57% support AI's use in speeding up insurance claims processing, indicating openness to AI where it improves efficiency without compromising security.

Industry Perspective

Dan Cane, co-founder and co-CEO of ModMed, emphasized the goal of AI in healthcare: "For too long, technology has put screens and paperwork between doctors and their patients. Our vision is to remove those barriers. This lets doctors and providers focus on patients, knowing intelligent systems work quietly in the background, anticipating needs and streamlining processes."

By reducing administrative overhead, AI can help restore the doctor-patient connection, which remains a top priority for patients.

Survey Details

The survey was fielded online by Talker Research from December 2 to 6, 2024, targeting U.S. adults over 18 who had visited a doctor in the previous year. The full results reflect evolving patient attitudes toward AI applications in healthcare.

For healthcare professionals looking to understand how AI tools might be integrated responsibly and effectively, these insights highlight the importance of transparency, safety, and maintaining patient trust.

Learn more about AI applications in healthcare and training opportunities at Complete AI Training.

Reference

Patients want doctors, not data entry: ModMed finds nearly 60% support use of AI if it means more face time. Published June 24, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025.