Artificial Intelligence and the Health Workforce: Perspectives from Medical Associations on AI in Health is an OECD Artificial Intelligence Paper published in November 2024. Based on a survey of 18 medical associations, it examines how AI may support healthcare workers and the barriers related to ethics, liability, data, skills and implementation.
Key insights:
72% of surveyed medical associations believe the benefits of AI in healthcare outweigh its risks.
Around 70% expect AI to transform medicine while physicians remain central to patient care.
No surveyed association believed AI would replace most physicians.
AI could improve care quality, reduce administrative work and help address burnout, but it is not the main solution to workforce shortages.
Ethical concerns were reported by 94% of associations, while 89% worried that AI could increase physicians’ liability.
Major barriers include limited access to health data, difficulties testing algorithms, weak interoperability and low digital skills.
Healthcare professionals should be involved throughout the design, implementation and monitoring of AI tools.
The report recommends continuous training, clear liability rules, stronger governance and safeguards for privacy, safety and fairness.
