Half of practices already use artificial intelligence tools, survey shows

A new survey on AI use in general practice indicates half of practices are using artificial intelligence and at least a quarter report using it daily.

The research was conducted by the Primary Care Working Group in June and July this year with the survey receiving 304 responses. The group, formed in May this year, includes General Practice NZ, RNZCGP, Collaborative Aotearoa, Te Awakairangi Health Network, Pegasus Health, THINK Hauora, Care HQ and Healthify.

According to the AI in Primary Care survey, the most beneficial uses of AI are administration and workflow (37 per cent); other (29 per cent); patient communication and engagement (15 per cent); predictive analytics and risk assessment (9 per cent); diagnosis and treatment planning (6 per cent); and chronic disease management (5 per cent).

Fifty-two per cent of the practices responding say they spent less than $100 a month on AI tools.

A summary of the findings states: “Those respondents who reported bigger spends were classified as ‘super users’ who are using a range of AI technologies daily, including notetaking tools, AI-powered diagnostic tools, chatbots for patient inquiries, predictive analytics for patient outcomes and paid subscriptions for non-clinical work.”

Respondents used the technology to reduce their admin burden, from notetaking and documentation to inbox management and automating routine tasks.

Rory Johnston is a specialist GP, MedOnline founder and the owner of the Remuera Medical Centre in Auckland. Before he entered the world of medicine, he studied artificial intelligence and software engineering at the University of Edinburgh.

The survey shows more GPs are using AI, and the results are impressive, Dr Johnston says.

“I think that’s a really good uptake, and I would expect that to increase.”

He uses AI daily, from writing notes and patient referral letters to managing inboxes and even interpreting sexually transmitted infection results.

“AI can read all the results and give you a good summary. You can then go one step up from that,” Dr Johnston says. “But you have to know how it works and what it is doing. You are still the boss and responsible for what it says.”

AI tools aren’t integrated into most PMS systems at this stage, but that is changing.

Jess Morgan-French is the CEO of Collaborative Aotearoa and chair of the AI in Primary Care Working Group.

“One of the things the working group wanted to do was carry out a quick-fire survey of general practices to find out how many were using AI and work out what problems they wanted to solve. So, this is a litmus test of the sector.”

The findings show many general practices already use AI tools, Ms Morgan-French says.

“And it’s not just clinical notetaking, but also the administrative tasks that practice managers are doing to run a practice.”

The survey shows inbox management is one of the biggest problems people want to solve in the sector, Ms Morgan-French says.

Even though 31 per cent of survey respondents say they aren’t using any AI tools, that’s “pretty low” considering that much of the technology is still relatively new, she says.

Health Navigator Charitable Trust CEO and specialist GP Janine Bycroft, in a statement from GPNZ, says the findings provide an interesting insight into the use of AI in primary care.

The survey shows respondents believed such technology could help reduce the administrative burden in general practice, Dr Bycroft says. The most used AI applications include notetaking tools such as Nabla and those for non-clinical administrative tasks.

The technology can help free up time for GPs to focus more on patient care, she says.

“A common theme we hear in patient feedback is how much more they are enjoying and valuing interaction with their GP; they really feel the difference of the eye contact being with them instead of the screen and the keyboard.”

Similarly, clinicians have been delighted by the difference it makes to their day, their engagement with patients and the reduced cognitive load, the survey found.