Navigating the Intersection of Trust, AI, and Healthcare

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the buzzword circulating in the news, on social media platforms, and at conferences worldwide across every industry. And the healthcare scene is no exception. At 2023 events, such as ViVE and HIMSS, the floor has been awash with AI chatter, excitement, predictions, and, of course, some hesitation and resistance. But, whatever your stance, the undeniable fact is that AI in healthcare has arrived — and it's here to stay.

However, as excited conversations are currently spattered with elements of mistrust, it's clear that health tech organizations have a responsibility to strengthen confidence in this field. So what can we do to build trust in this rapidly expanding technology? How can companies prove AI’s worth and, more importantly, its reliability to both medical professionals and patients alike?

In this article, we outline 6 steps to combat the hesitancy and resistance felt among some providers and consumers, while remaining true and accurate regarding the expectations and limitations of AI in healthcare.

Trust. Trust is at the basis of every relationship: with each other, technology, establishments, and processes. We trust banks to keep our money, we trust factories to produce our goods, we trust pilots and aircraft manufacturers every time we board a plane. Without widespread trust, none of these industries would be able to exist. And it’s the same with healthcare.

Currently, we trust medical professionals to diagnose and treat illnesses, to perform surgeries, to advise us about preventative care, and to create treatment plans that benefit our overall health. However, with rapid advancements in AI, machine learning (ML), and large language models (LLM) many of these things that have previously relied solely on the skilled medical community can be supported by trusted digital technologies. And so, we must build trust to allow clinicians to be supported by AI and to acknowledge the numerous benefits of combining AI tech and healthcare — from improved access to healthcare to better patient outcomes and everything in between.

Building trust in AI is the responsibility of all companies creating and utilizing AI-based solutions. This includes medtech businesses such as Infermedica, telemedicine companies, health systems, providers, and insurers. Here we outline 6 steps to fostering trust among patients and physicians.

Communicate clearly and honestly: Patients and physicians need to understand how AI technologies work, the benefits they provide, and their limitations. It’s important that healthcare organizations explain how an AI-driven solution arrives at its decisions and it’s equally important to show where it’s collecting its data from. It’s also vital that this explanation is in clear language that individuals who are not tech-savvy will be able to understand with ease.

Demonstrate effectiveness: Organizations can reduce resistance to AI in healthcare by utilizing information gathered in reports, such as test cases, and providing data that demonstrates its effectiveness in improving patient outcomes, increasing organizational efficiency, reducing healthcare costs, and more. For example, one study has shown that 78% of medical staffers experienced workflow improvements with AI, while in another, the AI algorithm was able to accurately diagnose breast cancer from mammograms with a sensitivity of around 90%, which was comparable to that of human radiologists.

Emphasize safety and address privacy concerns: Before being put into practice, AI technologies must be thoroughly tested to ensure they are safe for use. These tests, evaluations, and findings should be shared with physicians and patients to build confidence in AI’s capabilities and also to highlight any limitations that still exist. According to one survey, 52% of business leaders in the healthcare industry reported having concerns that AI in healthcare could lead to threats to security and privacy. Therefore, organizations must also show their technology's compliance with regulatory standards such as GDPR and HIPAA for data protection and privacy, and ISO accreditations for regulated medical devices.

Highlight patient experiences: Show, via reports and patient testimonials, the real-life impact that AI-driven technology is having on the patient experience and patient outcomes. For instance, a recent report found that participants preferred chatbot responses to physicians' responses in 78.6% of cases. The study concluded that AI-based chatbots often gave answers superior in quality and empathy to those of physicians. Highlighting data found in reports such as these, and sharing real-life user stories, such as the one displayed in the graphic below from Infermedica's AI-powered Symptomate tool, can go a long way to showcasing the benefits of AI to patients and providers.

About a year ago, I started feeling like my well-being was beginning to worsen. I often had a headache; I lacked strength, was sleepy, and had problems getting up in the morning. Although these symptoms were quite bothersome, at the same time, they were pretty vague. That's why I didn't take any steps for a long time. 

However, at some point, everything intensified to such an extent that it began to hinder my functioning seriously.

At that time, my husband showed me the Symptomate app. Without much expectation, I entered all my symptoms. Among the possible diseases mentioned, Hashimoto disease appeared. It surprised me because I hadn't considered thyroid problems before. After a series of tests in the laboratory, the diagnosis was precise: Hashimoto's disease. Symptomate was right.

Anonymous female
via direct conversation

Provide adequate training: With the introduction of any new technology, training is important. In healthcare, it is vital. Physicians need to understand how to use evolving digital solutions effectively and to be assured that these technologies will make their lives easier, not more difficult. In addition, organizations must advise patients on the best way to interact with such technologies, including the effective use of symptom checkers, wearables, virtual consultations, and more. A 2023 study of physicians and medical students found that 82% of the participants agreed that with dedicated courses and workshops, they can start implementing AI in their practice.

Maintain human touch: In a recent study, 57% of respondents believed using AI for diagnosing diseases and recommending treatments would worsen the patient-provider relationship. To combat such widespread sentiment among consumers and providers, healthcare organizations need to be transparent about their use of AI and ensure patients and physicians understand that AI technologies are there to supplement human care, not to replace it.

Healthcare organizations, including telemedicine companies, healthcare providers, and insurers, have to start building trust among patients and the medical community. This will be done via open and transparent communication about their technologies, the extent to which AI is being used, and the limitations and risks associated with such technology.

Nothing will replace the people at the center of care delivery, but intelligent platforms are transforming the patient experience, supporting burned-out providers, and stabilizing a fractured global healthcare system still recovering from a global pandemic.

We believe that trust is essential — between everyone involved in healthcare.