Deloitte Study: 61% of Insured Individuals View AI in Healthcare as a Positive Opportunity

A recent Deloitte survey reveals that 61% of insured individuals in Germany see artificial intelligence (AI) as a positive opportunity in healthcare. This sentiment is especially pronounced among younger generations such as Gen Y and Gen Z, who associate AI applications with improved treatment quality and more time for patient-physician dialogue.

The representative online survey of 1,000 insured individuals aged 18 and older, conducted in February 2024, found that 86% of respondents see concrete benefits in the use of AI in healthcare. These include AI-supported selection of suitable therapies (50%), more efficient processes enabling more time for medical consultations (47%), and better access to information to support decision-making (39%).

Despite the generally positive attitude, concerns persist. 43% of respondents express fears related to cyber risks and data loss, while 36% worry about non-transparent treatment decisions made by AI. Nevertheless, the perceived benefits of AI applications clearly outweigh the potential risks for most participants.

Interestingly, nearly half of all respondents said that the use of AI could influence their choice of healthcare provider. While younger patients see AI as an important selection criterion, older generations tend to place more value on personal contact and traditional treatment approaches.

This study underscores growing acceptance and high expectations toward AI in healthcare and highlights the areas that matter most to insured individuals – from decision support and treatment optimization to more meaningful communication between doctors and patients.