AI is quickly becoming part of the healthcare toolkit. It’s reshaping how care is delivered, how decisions are made, and how resources are managed across the entire system.
Quickblox, a leader in virtual consultation and chatbot solutions, surveyed 101 healthcare professionals to understand where they were using AI the most and where the biggest challenges lie.
Despite lingering worries over cost, security, and integration, confidence in healthcare AI remains high, fueled by rising operational demands and the promise of better workflows and continuous care. The survey data underscores this sentiment: 81.2% cited operational efficiency as a key driver for AI adoption, followed by cost reduction (65.3%) and improved patient care (63.4%).
The findings draw from a diverse respondent base, led by hospitals (32.7%), clinics (21.8%), and healthtech startups (16.8%), with over half representing large organizations.
When asked for the key drivers for AI adoption, 81.2% of respondents cited operational efficiency as the primary reason, followed by cost reduction and improving patient care, with 65.3% and 63.4% interested in these fields, respectively.
This tells us that healthcare organizations are prioritizing AI adoption to make their operations leaner and more efficient, with cost savings and patient care improvements also being major considerations. In other words, AI is seen first and foremost as a tool to optimize workflows and resources, rather than primarily for clinical innovation or diagnostics. The survey found that some 68% expect AI’s greatest impact in streamlining operations, while only 37% point to diagnosis.
The sentiment was reflected when respondents answered which AI solutions they were most interested in, with workflow automation taking precedence:
This demand comes at a time when not only are administrative costs at an all-time high, accounting for over 40% of all hospital expenses, but the industry is also under financial strain. Operational streamlining with AI helps care teams fulfil daily administrative burdens by directing low-risk, repetitive tasks to automated workflows.
Scoring interest from 47.5% of respondents, patient engagement platforms and virtual assistants tied for second as the AI solutions healthcare teams were most eager to adopt.
Patient optimism towards AI in healthcare has also grown in 2025. According to ModMed, 55% of patients still feel uneasy about AI use in diagnosis or creating a treatment plan, but they are happy when AI use cases result in more quality patient-doctor time. Some 57% of patients support AI in the exam room for documentation if it means more face time with the doctor. Meanwhile, almost a third noted that doctors currently spend up to 12 minutes of consultation time focused on documentation.
However, not everyone has the same opinion towards AI, and it is important that patients consent to the service they receive. A recent article by Nature suggests that embedding the AI Affinity Score in electronic medical records at intake can help determine the appropriate level of AI use based on the patient’s responses, potentially leading to better outcomes. The AI Affinity Score allows healthcare providers to personalize care delivery based on an individual’s preferences, optimizing their experience, enhancing engagement, and boosting satisfaction.
Nearly half of Quickblox’s respondents (45%) cited data privacy and security as their top concern, reflecting the high stakes of managing patient data under strict regulation. Integration and cost followed as key barriers, while vendor reliability ranked lowest, signaling growing trust in providers and greater focus on internal readiness.
When asked about confidence in managing data privacy:
Even as hesitation around data governance persists, organizations continue to see clear benefits from AI adoption. Improved patient outcomes (61.4%) and increased efficiency (86.1%) were the primary measures of AI success.
Looking forward, momentum shows no signs of slowing, with 61.4% of organizations likely or very likely to invest in AI within the next 12 months, while 9.9% have already invested.
It appears operational efficiency gains from AI appeal to both healthcare teams and patients. Doctors should prioritize AI use cases that reduce low-risk burdens, freeing up time for higher-quality patient care. With trusted vendors, they can navigate data and compliance challenges and fully realize these benefits.
This article includes a client of an Espacio portfolio company
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