Six-in-ten doctors have used AI in clinical practice – survey - Irish Medical Times

2026-04-23 · Source: artifical intelligence via Google News · Field: Health & Wellbeing — Clinical Care & Medical Practice, Medical Devices & Health Technology, Healthcare Systems & Policy · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, short

Summary

A recent survey by EY and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) reveals that 58% of over 500 doctors have used AI in clinical practice within the last 12 months, with 22% using it daily. Doctors aged 50-64 showed the highest adoption at 64%. While 70% are optimistic about AI's potential for improved documentation, information gathering, efficiency, and diagnostic accuracy, significant concerns persist. These include increased risk of data breaches (65%), physician over-dependence (59%), and potential patient harm (27%). The survey also found that 32% of doctors encountered patients presenting AI-generated information, and 16% saw patients acting directly on AI advice. Generative AI is the most adopted tool (86%), used for tasks like suggesting differential diagnoses (42%) and identifying treatment options (38%). A substantial 93% of doctors expressed a need for more AI support and training.

Key takeaway

For healthcare executives and clinical leaders evaluating AI integration, this survey highlights the urgent need to prioritize comprehensive AI training and robust governance frameworks. While doctors are embracing AI for efficiency and diagnostic support, addressing concerns about data security, over-dependence, and patient harm through structured education and clear guidelines is critical. Your strategy should align with initiatives like "AI for Care – The Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Healthcare in Ireland 2026-2030" to ensure responsible, ethical, and safe deployment.

Key insights

AI is rapidly integrating into clinical practice, yet doctors require significant training and guardrails for safe, ethical use.

Principles

• AI adoption varies by clinician age.
• Patient safety is paramount with AI.
• Training is crucial for AI integration.

In practice

• Use GenAI for differential diagnoses.
• Apply AI for treatment option identification.
• Leverage AI for patient history summarization.

Topics

• AI in Clinical Practice
• Healthcare AI Adoption
• Generative AI
• Physician Training
• Patient Safety

Best for: CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Executive, Domain Expert, Director of AI/ML, Consultant

Related on AIssential

• How good are ‘AI doctors’ — and will they take over medicine? — Advanced AI models are matching or exceeding human diagnostic accuracy in specific medical contexts, but real-world application is complex.
• Enabling a new model for healthcare with AI co-clinician — AI co-clinician research explores triadic care, augmenting physicians and assisting patients through multimodal AI under clinical supervision.
• Expanding our AI and Healthcare Portfolio — AI deployment in healthcare, driven by profit, poses significant risks to patient safety, worker dignity, and democratic oversight.
• AI for Interoperability in Health Care: Philips’s Carla Goulart Peron — AI in healthcare augments clinicians to expand access and improve diagnostics, with interoperability identified as the most impactful global capability.
• From Radiology to Drug Discovery, Survey Reveals AI Is Delivering Clear Return on Investment in Healthcare — Healthcare and life sciences are rapidly moving from AI experimentation to execution, driven by strong ROI and open-source adoption.
• Ada Health Clinical AI Turns Symptom Uncertainty Into Appropriate Action, Finds NEJM AI Study Conducted with CUF in Portugal — AI-powered symptom assessment can measurably change patient behavior, leading to more appropriate care.

Open in AIssential →

Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by artifical intelligence via Google News.