At least 83% of the doctors in the US are optimistic that AI will solve many problems prevalent in the medical industry, a new survey says via CNBC News.
According to the study, streamlining AI technology in healthcare could possibly ease issues of burnout, staffing shortages, and excessive administrative workloads.
More US Doctors Experience Increased Burnout
The shift in perception towards AI comes in as 90% of surveyed physicians feel burned out on a "regular basis." More than 60% consider leaving the medical industry altogether.
This is in addition to 64% of doctors feeling overwhelmed by their clinical requirements or 75% complaining of "excessive communication demands.
With many doctors spending an average of 15 more hours in the hospital per week as part of their "pajama time," it is sure to take a toll on their mental health.
The addition of AI assistants to the workforce is seen as an additional help for clinics and hospitals suffering shortage in staff to address administrative and patient communication services.
It is worth noting that the stress and burnout percentage of doctors in the US have considerably grown following the massive influx of patients during the three years of the pandemic.
The survey was conducted on 1,003 doctors in the US from Oct. 23 to Nov. 8 by the market research firm The Harris Poll on behalf of Athenahealth, a cloud-based healthcare service.
US Healthcare Expands AI Application
The recent years have seen the US healthcare services expanding its use of AI beyond medical technology into customer service and administrative work as demand continues to grow.
Several private institutions have already employed the technology in its digital platforms and even in handling the electronic documents of their patients.
So far, Congress has taken steps to propose "guardrails" into the medical field in its application of AI amid emerging risks from the technology.
As of writing, regulations and standards in relation to AI's use in medical services have yet to be implemented.
Related Article : US Gov't Tries to Catch Up with AI Advancement for Healthcare Use
