Deloitte survey: Consumers believe generative AI could improve healthcare

Many health systems are dealing with rising costs, clinician burnout, workforce shortages, inflation, and high-interest rates. And so, they are turning to technology to streamline operations and increase efficiencies across the board.

Generative AI, which has taken the world by storm, may present a solution to some of these problems — with consumers expressing their optimism for the technology in the healthcare sector, according to Deloitte's 2023 Health Care Consumer Survey.

The Survey findings

Deloitte's key findings include:

• Overall, 53% of survey respondents believe generative AI could improve access to healthcare, and 46% said it had the potential to make healthcare more affordable.
• People who had experience with generative AI were even more optimistic, with 69% saying it could improve access, and 63% - it had the potential to make healthcare more affordable.
• Just 48% of consumers surveyed said they are using generative AI, and 84% have at least heard of it.
• Consumers are beginning to view generative AI as reliable: While generative AI is still in its early stages, it could help empower consumers to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
• Respondents who have accessed generative AI for health and wellness say they have used it to learn about medical conditions (19%); understand treatment options (16%); decipher technical language (15%); and improve their well-being (15%). The vast majority of these users (69%) rated the information as either very reliable or extremely reliable.
• Consumers who have tried the technology for health and wellness appear to be most optimistic about its potential. Slightly more than 70% of generative AI users thought the technology could revolutionize care delivery, versus just 50% of consumers who have not used it.
• Consumers appear to be on board with clinicians who use generative AI to provide additional information about their conditions (e.g., treatment options), and for reviewing or interpreting lab results. However, they tend to be less comfortable with providers who might use generative AI for care decision-making (e.g., diagnosis, triage, and nature of treatment).
• Four in five consumers think it is important or extremely important that their healthcare provider let them know when they are using generative AI for their health needs. These consumer preferences could encourage healthcare organizations to develop transparent processes and design regulatory and patient-protection programs that reflect consumer concerns.
• People who lack health coverage are more likely than insured consumers to use generative AI for healthcare — including mental health support, to find a doctor, or to identify the most appropriate care site (e.g., emergency room, doctor's office, urgent care). However, just 33% of uninsured consumers rated the information they received from generative AI as helpful, compared to 51% of insured consumers.

The results are based on a nationally representative survey of 2,014 US adults.

Deloitte's other survey, 2024 Health Care Outlook, has found that 53% of hospitals and health systems are experimenting with a few generative AI use cases, and 27% are attempting to scale the technology across the entire enterprise. Moreover, 83% of respondents have implemented, or plan to implement, governance and oversight structures for generative AI.

Conclusion

Healthcare organizations and consumers are generally optimistic that generative AI could help address some of the macroeconomic pressures that are squeezing hospital margins and making health care unaffordable. As generative AI becomes more widely used and understood, healthcare organizations should try to harness the optimism among consumers that was highlighted in our survey results. They should consider building an organizational strategy around generative AI and developing or enhancing a transparent approach that helps to demonstrate the technology as trustworthy, ethical, and reliable.

Generative AI should be seen as another tool that could help healthcare and life sciences organizations address access and affordability while helping them navigate some of the macroeconomic pressures they face.

Ultimately, Deloitte's survey responses illustrate a high level of confidence that generative AI could have a positive impact on healthcare. It will be up to healthcare organizations to maintain that level of optimism by ensuring the technology is used responsibly and transparently.