How clinicians and patients are using AI across the care setting

To gather real-world insights into how healthcare organizations and patients are viewing and using AI throughout the care delivery journey, Wolters Kluwer surveyed a panel of doctors, nurses, and patients.

In this report, we will take a deep dive into how healthcare organizations and patients are approaching AI adoption, and how well the health system’s implementation and governance efforts are aligned with their current and future goals.

35% - percent of clinicians who use AI multiple times per day at work

40% - percent of patients who use AI at least daily in their personal lives

75% - percent of patients concerned about accountability if AI causes harm

Five key themes defining the role of AI in the care experience 

1. From experimentation to embedded infrastructure

AI use is now a normal part of the daily experience for both clinicians and patients, creating the right conditions for AI to become truly embedded in every aspect of the care delivery process. With more than a third of clinicians and patients using AI at least daily at work and in their personal lives, widespread familiarity with AI tools is making it easier to bring AI-assisted processes into clinical processes and relationships.

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2. Addressing different priorities within a shared ecosystem

While both clinicians and patients are embracing AI, they are using it to solve different – yet intertwined – problems within the healthcare ecosystem. Clinicians are focused on system-level challenges such as reducing administrative complexity and operational burdens, while patients are zeroed in on how AI can help address personal health concerns. Success in both areas will be necessary to truly enrich the healthcare experience.

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3. Reshaping the dynamics of the clinical encounter

AI is reshaping how information enters and influences care decisions, with AI-generated insights now flowing to patients from clinicians – and to clinicians from patients. With more patients bringing their own research into the clinical consult, clinicians are now taking on a larger role as interpreters and validators of new inputs, with varying degrees of acceptance and success.

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4. Trust as the limiting factor in AI-enabled care delivery

Clinicians and patients both have reservations about the impact of AI on healthcare, but their caution is being shaped by different concerns. The majority of clinicians are concerned about issues including hallucinations and bias in AI products, as well as widespread clinical “deskilling” that could affect a clinicians’ critical thinking skills. Meanwhile, patients are focused on privacy, accountability, and transparency.

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5. Aligning on opportunities and boundaries for AI to augment healthcare

Both categories of respondents agree that AI can reduce friction and improve outcomes across the care delivery ecosystem, and they are aligned around the importance of achieving these goals. But neither want AI to replace human decision-making. They envision AI as an assistive tool for decision-making rather than something that will lead the care process.

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74% - percent of clinicians concerned about “deskilling” 

72% - percent of clinicians concerned about sponsored content within AI tools 

52% - percent of patients who use AI to understand diagnoses 

42% - percent of patients who very frequently/frequently bring AI-generated information to appointments 

Explore The Future Ready Healthcare Survey Report

Take the pulse of where AI is working in the clinical setting and where there is opportunity to do more as we better understand the unique perceptions of doctors, nurses, and patients around agentic and generative AI.

Report Home
Report Home
Key Survey Findings
Key Survey Findings
Looking Ahead
Looking Ahead
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