How Primary Care Doctors View and Use AI Tools in Everyday Clinical Practice

What is it about?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly common in healthcare, offering tools that can help diagnose diseases, support clinical decisions, and improve patient care. But for these technologies to work well in real-world settings, primary care physicians — the doctors who see most patients first — need to understand, trust, and feel comfortable using them. In this study, we systematically reviewed and analyzed research from around the world to understand what primary care physicians know about AI, how they feel about it, and how often they actually use AI-assisted digital health tools in their daily practice. We combined findings from many studies and used meta-analysis to provide a clearer, more reliable picture of current attitudes and behaviors. We found that most physicians are interested in AI and believe it has potential to improve care. However, many still lack training, feel uncertain about how AI systems work, or worry about issues such as accuracy, liability, and patient privacy. Actual use of AI tools in primary care remains limited, especially in low-resource settings. This review highlights the gap between enthusiasm for AI and the practical realities of implementing it in clinics. Understanding this gap is essential for designing better training, improving the usability of technology, and ensuring that AI supports — rather than complicates — the work of primary care physicians.

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Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This work is timely because AI is rapidly moving from experimental settings into everyday clinical environments. Policymakers and health systems are investing heavily in digital transformation, yet the success of these efforts depends on the readiness and confidence of frontline physicians. What makes this study unique is its comprehensive, global synthesis of knowledge, attitudes, and practices — three dimensions that are rarely examined together. By combining quantitative evidence with broader insights from diverse healthcare systems, the review provides a nuanced understanding of where physicians stand today and the barriers that remain to be addressed. Our findings can guide the development of training programs, inform responsible AI policies, and help technology developers create tools that align with primary care's real needs. Ultimately, this work supports safer, more equitable, and more effective integration of AI into healthcare.

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