Rachel Power
Chief Executive, the Patients Association
A recent survey shows widespread patient enthusiasm for adopting self-testing and AI technologies to speed diagnoses and access to healthcare services.
A survey by the Patients Association found patients eager to adopt innovative diagnostic methods like self-testing and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve their access to healthcare and speed up results.
At-home diagnostics and self-testing
The survey uncovered overwhelming support for expanding at-home testing opportunities, with three out of five (61%) respondents believing it could speed up diagnosis. This enthusiasm may be a consequence of people’s increased familiarity with self-testing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
When asked about where patients would be willing to self-test, three-quarters (77%) said they would be comfortable testing at home, compared to two-fifths (44%) who would self-test in a clinical setting. Just 4% were unwilling to self-test in either location.
This preference for home self-testing may stem from patients’ confidence in their ability to test without supervision. Some responses suggest patients see self-testing as a gateway to necessary services. Hesitation around clinical self-testing could reflect a belief clinicians should administer tests.
Three-quarters (73%) said they
were very or quite likely to trust
diagnostic results generated by AI.
Leveraging AI to accelerate diagnosis
The survey, supported by Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland, also explored attitudes toward using AI in diagnostics. Three out of five (60%) felt leveraging new technologies like AI could accelerate diagnoses and relieve strain on the healthcare system.
Encouragingly, three-quarters (73%) said they were very or quite likely to trust diagnostic results generated by AI. However, the two-fifths (44%) who were ‘quite likely’ hint at lingering doubts for some. Only 16% were outright distrustful of AI-powered results.
Lifestyle changes to manage conditions
For conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, our diagnostic capabilities currently outpace treatments. Still, nearly three-quarters (72%) said they would take a predictive test if available, and nine out of ten (89%) would make lifestyle changes to potentially delay onset of disease or symptoms if results said they were at high risk.
These data reveal patients are ready for innovations like self-testing and AI to improve diagnostic processes. As these technologies advance, the healthcare system must work with patients before deploying them, addressing public concerns and delivering new services they will want to use and benefit from.
