Awareness and Perspectives on the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Primary Care: Survey of Rural and Urban Primary Care Physicians in Alberta, Canada
Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in healthcare to enhance patient care and diagnostic efficiency. Despite its potential, physicians’ awareness and perspectives on AI are not well-studied. AI in medicine is often seen as image-focused, but it also includes online appoint...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
2025-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Medical Students |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ijms.info/IJMS/article/view/2906 |
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| Summary: | Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in healthcare to enhance patient care and diagnostic efficiency. Despite its potential, physicians’ awareness and perspectives on AI are not well-studied. AI in medicine is often seen as image-focused, but it also includes online appointment scheduling, digitizing medical records, digital consultations, and drug dosage algorithms. We surveyed Canadian primary care physicians (PCPs) to assess their awareness and perspectives on AI in healthcare.
Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional survey study was administered to Alberta family medicine physicians in both urban and rural healthcare centers. The survey was administered online using Qualtrics. The survey was distributed by email and through newsletters.
Results: Out of 79 responses, 46 were complete and analyzed. Most physicians worked in urban settings and had no prior AI training. Rural physicians showed higher interest and comfort in using AI. Knowledge of AI varied among physicians, with limited awareness of subset concepts of AI. Amongst respondents, the most used AI tools were an ECG interpreter and a language translator, and physicians expressed interest in various AI tools for medical use.
Conclusion: There is a lack of knowledge and use of AI tools in medicine, with both urban and rural physicians’ responses suggesting a need for more education and training in AI. Lack of human connection was the main fear that was expressed regarding the use of AI in healthcare. This survey's findings may inform future research into the development and implementation of AI in primary care.
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| ISSN: | 2076-6327 |