AI implementation in healthcare requires tailored approaches considering factors such as regional infrastructure differences and training programmes.
As per the findings of a study by researchers at the Max Institute of Healthcare Management at the Indian School of Business on ‘Understanding Providers’ Attitude Toward AI in India’s Informal Health Care Sector,’ 93.7 per cent of providers believed AI could improve TB diagnosis accuracy, while only 69.4 per cent were willing to adopt the technology.
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Sumeet Kumar, Assistant Professor, Information Systems, ISB and lead author of the study said: “The gap between belief in AI’s potential and willingness to adopt it suggests that technological superiority alone may not guarantee successful implementation.”
Regional differences and existing healthcare infrastructure play crucial roles in technology adoption, he added.
The key findings of the research include higher adoption readiness in Gujarat (73.4 per cent) compared to Jharkhand (58.4 per cent), reflecting the impact of regional healthcare infrastructure development. Providers who were more confident in diagnosing TB showed greater willingness to adopt AI. Also, providers’ trust in local radiologists influences AI adoption differently across regions.
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The research suggests that successful AI implementation in healthcare requires tailored approaches considering regional infrastructure differences, additional support and training programmes for healthcare providers, focus on providers with limited access to diagnostic infrastructure and consideration of cost implications.
The study surveyed 406 Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy and informal healthcare providers (collectively called AIPs) across Gujarat and Jharkhand.
TB remains a global health crisis, claiming 1.5 million lives in 2020 alone, with India bearing a substantial burden. Early and accurate diagnosis is key to TB treatment, but accurate diagnostic tools like molecular diagnostic tests are expensive, difficult to access and challenging to maintain, ISB release said.