JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can revolutionize healthcare but raises risk concerns. It is therefore crucial to understand how clinicians trust and accept AI technology. Gastroenterology, by its nature of being an image-based and intervention-heavy specialty, is an area where AI-assisted diagnosis and management can be applied extensively.

Objective:

To study how gastroenterologists/GI (gastrointestinal) surgeons accept and trust the use of AI in detection (CADe), characterization (CADx) and intervention (CADi) of colorectal polyps in colonoscopy.

Methods:

We conducted an online questionnaire from November 2022 to January 2023, involving 5 countries/areas in the Asia-Pacific region (APR). The questionnaire included variables such as background and demography of users, intention to use AI, perceived risk, acceptance and trust in AI-assisted detection and characterization and intervention. We presented participants with three AI scenarios relating to colonoscopy and management of colorectal polyps. These scenarios reflect existing AI applications in colonoscopy namely detection of polyps (CADe), characterization of polyps (CADx), and AI-assisted polypectomy (CADi).

Results:

165 gastroenterologists and GI surgeons responded to an online survey using the structured questionnaire designed by experts in medical communications. Participants have a mean age of 44 ± 9.65 years, are majority male (n=116, 70.30%) and mostly working in publicly funded hospitals (n=110, 66.67%). Participants reported relatively high exposure to AI, with 111 (67.27%) reporting having used AI for clinical diagnosis or treatment of digestive diseases. Gastroenterologists are highly interested to use AI in diagnosis but show different levels of reservations in risk prediction and acceptance of AI. 112 participants (72.72%) also expressed interest to use AI in their future practice. CADe was accepted by 83.03% (n=137), CADx by 78.79% (n=130), and CADi by 72.12% (n=119) of respondents. CADe & CADx were trusted by 85.45% (n=141), CADi by 72.12% (n=119) of respondents. There are no application-specific differences in risk perceptions, but the more experienced clinicians gave lesser risk ratings.

Conclusions:

Gastroenterologists have an overall high acceptance and trust levels of using AI-assisted colonoscopy in the management of colorectal polyps. However, the relationship between risk perception, acceptance, and trust of using AI in gastroenterology practice is not straightforward.