Patient Trust in AI Chatbots: Room to Grow

When Sonia, 50, first heard about AI chatbots that can diagnose and recommend treatments for patients, she was excited. As a mother of two and a full-time employee, she has little time to visit the doctor. So, the idea of being able to get medical advice from the comfort of her home was appealing. However, after using a virtual assistant to assess her symptoms, Sonia felt dissatisfied with the lack of a human touch in the interaction.

Her experience illustrates a growing concern among patients about the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare. While AI-powered chatbots have the potential to revolutionize patient engagement, there is still room for growth in addressing patient fears and concerns.

According to a recent survey conducted by Accenture, 60% of patients said they would be comfortable communicating with a healthcare provider through a chatbot. However, only 21% of physicians felt the same way. This gap in perception shows that there needs to be more education and awareness among healthcare providers about the benefits and limitations of AI chatbots.

Another study conducted by KPMG found that 57% of consumers are willing to use AI Chatbots for healthcare services. But, at the same time, 60% of consumers said they would choose a doctor over a chatbot for treatment suggestions.

These examples highlight the need for healthcare providers to strike a balance between using AI chatbot technology to improve efficiencies in the healthcare system and not detracting from the patient experience by depersonalizing interactions.

Room to Grow

While AI chatbots have the potential to improve patient outcomes, they are not yet able to fully replace human interaction and expertise. Patients still crave empathy, personalized care, and the human touch that only a healthcare provider can provide. Therefore, healthcare providers need to be transparent with their patients about the role of AI chatbots and their limitations.

Here are three ways healthcare providers can improve patient trust in AI chatbots:

• Provide clear information: Healthcare providers should be transparent with their patients about the capabilities and limitations of chatbots. Patients should also be informed about the types of situations where human interaction may be necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment. This will help patients feel more comfortable using AI chatbots and builds trust between the patient and the healthcare provider
• Offer hybrid models: Hybrid models that combine AI chatbots with human interaction can help improve the patient experience. By allowing patients to start a conversation with an AI chatbot, healthcare providers can quickly assess the urgency of a patient's complaint and offer appropriate advice. If the query is more complex, the chatbot can then direct the patient to a human healthcare professional for further assistance.
• Listen to patient feedback: Healthcare providers should listen to patient feedback and concerns about the use of AI chatbots. This feedback can help shape the development of AI chatbot technology and ensure that healthcare providers are meeting the needs of their patients.

Conclusion

Patient trust in AI chatbots still has room to grow. While AI chatbots provide a great opportunity for healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes, they need to be used judiciously. By being transparent with patients about the role of AI chatbots and their limitations, offering hybrid models that combine chatbots with human interaction, and listening to patient feedback, healthcare providers can improve patient trust in AI chatbots and offer better care to their patients.