Physician Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: a Cross-sectional Study of Child-focused Care in a Turkish Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, yet many physicians struggle with its understanding and adoption. Existing research often overlooks developing countries like Turkey and rarely focuses on physicians caring for pediatric populations, where caregiver involvement and patient vulnerability add further complexity to AI integration. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 155 physicians from the Family Medicine and Pediatrics departments of a single tertiary hospital in Turkey to evaluate their knowledge, expectations, and concerns regarding AI in healthcare. Results: Most participants (73.6 %) reported limited AI knowledge, but showed significant interest in AI education. A preference for human involvement in medical decision making was indicated, with only 8.3 % expressing trust in a fully autonomous AI system. Ethical concerns, particularly regarding accountability, were prominent, with the majority attributing responsibility to algorithm designers (64.5 %) and regulatory bodies (27.7 %) rather than physicians. Several barriers to AI adoption, specific to the Turkish healthcare context, were identified, including educational gaps, cultural resistance, financial/technical constraints, and digital health policies. Conclusion: Turkish physicians favor the potential of AI to enhance healthcare outcomes. Physicians should be empowered with AI education to improve their trust and confidence in shaping the development of responsible AI while maintaining human involvement.