Healthcare professionals around the world are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency and patient care, but many say inadequate training and limited organizational support are creating challenges in its adoption.
This is according to the latest Philips Future Health Index survey, which found that while AI is saving clinicians significant amounts of time and helping them manage growing workloads, most healthcare workers feel unprepared to fully utilize the technology.
The global study surveyed 2,011 healthcare professionals and 20,085 patients across 10 countries to assess the impact of AI on healthcare delivery.
According to the findings, 46 percent of healthcare professionals reported saving at least 132 hours annually through the use of AI-powered tools, while half said the technology had increased their capacity to see more patients.
Clinicians are using AI for a variety of tasks, including transcribing clinical notes, scheduling appointments, discussing work-related ideas, analysing medical scans, identifying potential drug interactions, and assisting with diagnosis.
Doctors and nurses surveyed said AI has improved accuracy in their work, helped them stay informed about new medical research, and enabled more detailed analysis of patient cases.
Despite these benefits, the report highlighted a significant gap in training and institutional support. Seven in ten healthcare professionals said training on AI-enabled tools was either unavailable, limited, or inconsistent within their organisations.
As a result, many healthcare workers are turning to personal AI tools to fill the gap. The survey found that 64 percent of clinicians use privately sourced AI solutions when workplace systems fail to meet their needs.
Philips Chief Innovation Officer Shez Partovi said organisations have not kept pace with the rapid growth of AI adoption among healthcare workers.
“The organizations aren’t moving fast enough to provide the tools and the training,” he said.
The report recommends expanding structured, role-specific AI training programmes to help healthcare professionals develop the digital skills and clinical judgment needed to use the technology effectively and safely.
Despite growing confidence in AI, respondents stressed that human oversight remains essential. Ninety percent of healthcare professionals said it is important to keep humans involved in decision-making as AI becomes more advanced, while 86 percent believe all AI-generated outputs should be reviewed by healthcare professionals before being applied in clinical settings.
The findings suggest that while AI is becoming an increasingly valuable tool in modern healthcare, investments in training and governance will be critical to ensuring its safe and effective integration into medical practice.
