Most patients support AI in healthcare if it means more time with doctors

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ModMed conducted a new survey on 2000 US patients on their comfort with artificial intelligence (AI) use in medical practices.

Results from the survey showed that patients still feel uneasy about AI use in diagnosis or creating a treatment plan, with 55% of respondents saying they were uncomfortable. According to ModMed, this is a shift from a survey in 2023 by Paw Research Center that showed 60% of patients were uncomfortable with their healthcare provider relying on AI.

However, over half of patients surveyed (57%) support AI in the exam room for documentation if it means more face time with the doctor. Three in four patients said they spend less than 15 minutes with their physician in the exam room, while almost a third noted that doctors spend 7-12 of those minutes focused on documentation during the visit.

Patients are much more comfortable with AI use behind the scenes as well, the survey showed. For administrative tasks, respondents said they approve of AI use in scheduling and reminders (35%), patient check-in (31%), or assisting with prescription refills (42%).

Additionally, most patients listed that they would want strong guardrails around the use of AI in healthcare, with 83% saying AI used for diagnosis and treatment should meet safety and accuracy standards. While 72% believe it's important to know the source of training data for an AI model.

In addition to the protections, the majority of patients also want to know when AI is being used in the first place, with 81% noting the desire to be told if their doctor's office is using AI at all. Over half (55%) also desire to be notified if AI is helping with diagnosis or treatment. Almost half (46%) desire to be notified if AI is used in follow-ups like lab results, and 40% would prefer to hear about AI usage directly from their doctor or care team. On the other side, 31% of patients would prefer to just sign a consent form, and 27% would rather review information on their doctor’s website.

Financially, one-third (34%) of patients are uncomfortable with AI having access to their credit card info. However, over half (57%) noted support for AI for speeding up claims processing.

Dan Cane, co-founder and co-CEO of ModMed, commented on the survey in a press release from the company, saying, "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. We believe this is the best way to truly unlock AI's potential in healthcare."

The survey was distributed by Talker Research to US patients over the age of 18 who have been seen by a doctor within the past year. A total of 2,000 responses were collected between December 2 and 6, 2024. The survey was commissioned by ModMed and conducted online.

References:

1. 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. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250624882329/en/Patients-Want-Doctors-Not-Data-Entry-ModMed-Finds-Nearly-60-Support-Use-of-AI-if-it-Means-More-Face-Time