ModMed Survey: Patients Embrace AI for More Doctor Face Time

A comprehensive survey from healthcare technology leader ModMed reveals a nuanced shift in patient attitudes toward artificial intelligence in medical settings, with nearly 60% of patients now supporting AI use if it translates to more quality time with their physicians. The study of 2,000 U.S. patients provides critical insights into public sentiment and expectations for AI implementation in medical practices.

The findings mark a notable evolution from a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, which found 60% of Americans uncomfortable with providers relying on AI. ModMed's data indicates that 57% of patients now support AI applications, particularly ambient listening solutions, when they result in increased face-to-face interaction with their physician.

The research highlights a fundamental frustration driving this acceptance. Three in four respondents (77%) reported spending less than 15 minutes with their physician in the exam room, with almost a third (28%) noting their doctor spends 7-12 of those precious minutes focused on documentation during the visit. This documentation burden has created an opening for AI adoption, with 57% of patients preferring their physician use AI for documentation if it results in more face time.

However, patients draw clear distinctions between different AI applications. While receptive to administrative uses, including assistance with prescription refills (42%), appointment scheduling and reminders (35%), and patient check-in (31%), a majority (55%) remain uncomfortable with AI making diagnoses or formulating treatment plans.

Transparency emerges as a critical factor in building patient trust. The survey reveals that 81% of patients want to be informed if their doctor's office uses AI at all, while 55% expect notification if AI assists with diagnosis or treatment. Nearly half (46%) want disclosure for AI use in follow-ups like lab results. Regarding communication preferences, 40% would prefer hearing about AI usage directly from their doctor or care team, while others prefer signing a consent form (31%) or reviewing information on the doctor's website (27%).

Patients also demand robust governance, with 83% believing AI used for diagnosis and treatment should meet safety and accuracy standards, and 72% considering it important to know the source of an AI model's training data.

The financial side of healthcare AI presents mixed sentiments. While about one-third of patients (34%) express unease with AI accessing credit card information, a majority (57%) support using AI to expedite claims processing, and 24% would be comfortable with AI helping appeal denied insurance claims.

"For too long, technology has put screens and paperwork between doctors and their patients," said Dan Cane, co-founder and co-CEO of ModMed. "Our vision is to remove those barriers. This lets doctors and providers focus on patients, knowing intelligent systems work quietly in the background, anticipating needs and streamlining processes."

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