Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made its way into Germany’s healthcare system, with many practices and clinics now utilizing the technology. This is according to a recent survey by the IT industry association Bitkom, released on Tuesday.
The survey, which polled 616 doctors from various medical specialties in Germany, found that 12 percent of those in private practices or medical care centers are already using AI to support diagnosis. Eight percent are employing AI in practice management, aiming to simplify workflows. A total of 15 percent of respondents reported using AI in at least one of these areas, with almost one in seven practices utilizing the technology.
In hospitals, the use of AI has more than doubled since 2022, with 18 percent of doctors now employing the technology, for instance, in analyzing imaging results. Three years ago, the figure was only nine percent.
Physicians are approaching AI with a mix of enthusiasm and high expectations. A significant majority, 78 percent, view AI as a huge opportunity for the medical field. Two-thirds of respondents (67 percent) believe that AI should be particularly promoted in Germany and 60 percent think that in certain cases, AI can make better diagnoses than a human. At the same time, 76 percent of doctors are calling for strict regulation of AI in medicine.