Building trust in healthcare AI: the confidence gap between patients and professionals
- By Philips
- June 27 2025
- 3 min read
Artificial intelligence (AI) is hailed as a game-changer in healthcare, with promises to transform patient care, streamline workflows and ease the burden on overworked professionals. Yet, while many healthcare professionals are championing AI's potential, patients remain hesitant. The gap in trust between these two groups poses a significant challenge to its adoption in healthcare.
At-a-glance:
- There's a significant disparity in trust towards AI between healthcare professionals and patients. While 63% of healthcare professionals are optimistic about AI improving patient outcomes, only 48% of patients share this sentiment.
- Building trust in AI requires transparency about its usage, clear communication from healthcare professionals and showcasing AI's track record.
- Establishing clear regulatory safeguards is crucial for patient trust.
Why is there disparity? For starters, healthcare professionals see firsthand how AI can improve outcomes. They experience its ability to reduce administrative burdens and make earlier diagnoses possible. Patients, however, aren’t privy to this firsthand success. Instead, they worry about safety, transparency and whether AI might replace the human element they value in care. Closing this trust gap is critical – not just for AI adoption, but for creating a healthcare system that benefits everyone.
Here’s the good news: it’s possible to build trust and help patients feel confident about AI in healthcare. Strategies grounded in transparency, communication, and robust regulation can pave the way for broader acceptance.
Understanding the trust gap
Results from the latest Future Health Index 2025 reveals a clear divide in attitudes toward AI. While 63% of healthcare professionals express optimism about AI improving patient outcomes, only 48% of patients share the same sentiment. Patient confidence in AI varies generationally, with younger patients (under 45 years) being twice as optimistic as older ones (66% vs. 33%).
Healthcare professionals view AI as a tool to reclaim precious time, make care more proactive and ultimately improve patient experiences. Conversely, patients voice concerns about safety, reliability and oversight. They need reassurance that AI will augment – not displace – the human touch that defines personalized care.
The challenge lies in creating a bridge between AI's potential and patient confidence.
1. Be transparent about AI usage.
Trust begins with understanding. For many patients, the idea of machines assisting in their healthcare can feel abstract or even intimidating. To reduce fear of the unknown, transparency about AI’s role is vital.
- Explain AI’s purpose – and keep it simple. Patients don’t need a technical breakdown of algorithms; they simply need to know what AI is doing and why. For example, if AI helps analyze a diagnostic image, a healthcare professional might explain, “This system supports me in spotting potential issues faster, so we can more effectively diagnose and treat you.”
- Highlight accountability in AI. Patients often want to know who’s responsible if something goes wrong. By clarifying that healthcare professionals remain in control and AI serves as a support tool, worries about unsupervised decision-making can be alleviated.
- Show AI’s track record. Sharing success stories or clinical evidence where AI has positively impacted outcomes builds credibility. For instance, examples of AI catching early signs of heart disease or streamlining lab results can make its benefits tangible.
2. Empower healthcare professionals as trusted communicators.
The Future Health Index found that 79% of patients trust doctors and nurses for information about AI, far more than they trust news or social media. This makes healthcare professionals key players in overcoming skepticism.
- Train professionals on AI communication. It’s not just about knowing how to use AI; professionals need tools to explain it to patients. If a doctor feels confident in their understanding of an AI-powered diagnostic tool, they’re more likely to communicate its value to patients clearly and reassuringly.
- Integrate AI into patient conversations. Incorporating AI naturally into consultations can demystify its usage. For example, a primary care physician might say, “This technology reviewed your last three blood tests to identify trends. It’s helped me decide we need further investigation.”
- Personalize the message. Older generations tend to value a human-centered approach, while younger patients may respond better to data-driven discussions. Tailoring how AI’s role is explained can address the diverse needs of different patients.
3. Establish clear regulatory safeguards.
Regulations are the backbone of patient trust. Without clear safeguards to ensure AI is safe, effective and fair, hesitance will persist.
- Ensure rigorous testing. Patients feel reassured when they know technologies undergo thorough evaluation before usage. Sharing information about regulatory standards and how AI meets them fosters confidence.
- Create unified global standards. With AI developing at breakneck speed, inconsistencies in regulation lead to uncertainty. Industry-wide standards that prioritize quality and safety are essential for creating universally trusted AI systems.
- Reduce liability concerns. Legal questions about AI liability also create doubt for healthcare professionals and patients. By clarifying accountability through consistent guidelines, healthcare providers can enhance trust in deploying AI across clinical settings.
Why it matters
Trust isn’t just a “nice-to-have” in healthcare AI; it’s non-negotiable. Without it, patients resist innovation, and adoption stalls. On the flip side, by building trust, we open the door to safer, faster and more impactful healthcare.
Imagine a future where AI helps predict a diabetic ulcer before it worsens, ensures seamless access to medical histories, or saves hours of staff time previously lost to administrative tasks. All of this is possible when patients and providers feel confident using the technology.
Final thoughts
Bridging the confidence gap takes effort – not only from AI developers but also from healthcare professionals, policymakers and researchers. Every stakeholder plays a role in fostering understanding and creating a better patient experience. When patients know AI exists to enhance care, not replace it, optimism can flow both ways.
By focusing on transparency, communication and effective regulation, we can help healthcare AI reach its full potential and truly transform lives. After all, when trust is built, the benefits aren’t just theoretical – they’re real, tangible and life-changing.
For more on this, download and read the full Future Health Index 2025 report.
Future Health Index 2025