Research
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being explored as a way to support healthcare professionals in making clinical decisions. In neurological healthcare, AI could potentially help with tasks such as analysing medical images and other health information, identifying patterns, supporting diagnosis and treatment decisions, and helping healthcare professionals manage large amounts of information. However, there has been limited research into how people affected by neurological conditions and members of the public in Ireland feel about the use of AI in their healthcare. Understanding these views is important to ensure that AI is introduced in ways that are safe, useful and responsive to the needs of patients.
Background
The study involved 15 people, including people living with neurological conditions and family members. Participants took part in two online focus groups to discuss the potential benefits, risks and concerns associated with using AI in healthcare.
Participants were generally supportive of using AI to support clinical decision-making. They felt it could improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, identify connections between health conditions and medications, and support more personalised care. They also saw potential for AI to help patients manage their health and prepare for appointments, while reducing some of the administrative burden on healthcare professionals. However, participants stressed that AI should support, rather than replace, clinical judgement and human oversight.
Concerns included the quality, security and availability of health data in Ireland, with participants highlighting the potential for incomplete or unrepresentative data to produce inaccurate results. They also raised concerns about privacy, fragmented health information systems, inappropriate use of AI and overreliance on the technology potentially affecting healthcare professionals’ skills and patient interaction.
Potential Impact
The findings highlight the importance of involving patients and the public as AI becomes more widely used in healthcare. The study suggests that preparing for the wider use of AI in neurological healthcare will require more than developing the technology itself. Healthcare systems will also need reliable and representative health data, appropriate regulation, strong safeguards for privacy and security, and support for healthcare professionals and patients to understand and use AI appropriately. The researchers highlight the need for further research into how AI can be safely and effectively implemented in neurological healthcare.