Patients are comfortable with AI-powered cancer screening, but still want input from physicians
Patients are on board with AI-powered skin cancer screening, according to a new study published in JAMA Dermatology. But relationships with human physicians remain a priority.
“Our current understanding of how patients perceive AI and its application to healthcare lacks clarity and depth,” wrote Caroline A. Nelson, MD, Yale School of Medicine, and colleagues. “Our primary aims in this study were to explore how patients conceptualize AI and view the use of direct-to-patient and clinician decision-support AI tools for skin cancer screening.”
Nelson et al. explored answers from 48 patients who were enrolled in general dermatology and melanoma clinics in the Boston area. Data was collected from May 6 to July 8, 2019, and all patients were at least 18 years old. While 16 patients had a history of melanoma, another 16 had a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Finally, a third group of 16 patients reported having no history of skin cancer.
Overall, patients perceived the biggest benefits of AI-based skin cancer screening to be a more accurate diagnosis, improved speed and improved patient access to healthcare. The biggest perceived risks, on the other hand, were a less accurate diagnosis and patient anxiety about the new technology.
A consistent theme across all patient interviews, the authors observed, “was the importance of a symbiotic relationship between humans and AI.”
“Patients envisioned AI referring to a physician and providing a second opinion for a physician,” the authors wrote, adding that “replacing a person” with AI was viewed as a significant problem.
And would patients recommend AI-based healthcare to family and friends? While 75% of respondents said they would recommend it, another 19% of respondents were undecided one way or another. Just 6% of patients—three respondents in total—said they would not recommend AI at all to family or friends.
“Our results indicate that most patients are receptive to the use of AI for skin cancer screening within the framework of human-AI symbiosis,” Nelson and colleagues concluded. “Although additional research is required, the themes that emerged in this study have important implications across the house of medicine. Through patients’ eyes, augmented intelligence may improve health care quality but should be implemented in a manner that preserves the integrity of the human physician-patient relationship.”
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.