Capturing patient voices: A focus group-based study unveiling the potential of AI in medical diagnosis

Purpose: This study examines patients' perspectives on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in radiology through focus groups, aiming to identify the main issues and areas for improvement. It is part of a larger research project that employs various methodologies to explore the views of both patients and radiologists regarding AI tools. Methods: We conducted two focus groups using a narrative story and vignettes: one with patients who self-assessed as AI experts and the other with non-AI experts. Results: The focus groups revealed diverse opinions on AI use in diagnostics, focusing on six main topics: acceptance, concerns, communication between radiologists and patients, explainability of AI, medical records, and emotional aspects. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of developing patient-centric AI solutions to build trust in AI-assisted diagnostic tools, considering emotional and communicational aspects and addressing both physician and patient concerns to facilitate smoother integration of AI in radiology.