Perceptions of artificial intelligence in healthcare: a qualitative study among healthcare professionals in Jordan.

Abstract

Purpose: While there are studies on this topic, there may be a relative scarcity of research focusing on specific regions, such as Jordan. So, this study aims to gather insights from healthcare providers in Jordan concerning the advantages of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into practices, their perspectives on AI applications in healthcare, and their views on the future role of AI in replacing key tasks within health services.

Method: An online questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, attitudes towards using AI for tasks and opinions on the benefits of AI adoption among healthcare professionals. For healthcare professionals with restricted internet access or older people, soft copies of the questionnaire were provided to them, and then their responses were collected. A one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the associations between the determinants and the outcomes. Any test with a p value ≤0.05 was considered significant.

Results: A total of 612 healthcare professionals participated in the survey, with females comprising a majority of respondents (52.8%). The majority of respondents showed optimism about AI's potential to improve and revolutionise the field, although there were concerns about AI replacing human roles. Generally, physical therapists, medical researchers and pharmacists displayed openness to incorporating AI into their work routines. Younger individuals aged <40 seemed accepting of AI in the domain. A significant portion of participants believed that AI could negatively impact job opportunities.

Conclusion: To conclude, the results of this study suggest that healthcare professionals, in Jordan, hold receptive views on incorporating AI in the medical field, similar to their counterparts in developed nations. However, there is a concern about the implications of AI on job stability and potential replacements.