AI triage or manual triage? Exploring medical staffs' preference for AI triage in China

Objectives: The introduction of AI technology in healthcare presents both opportunities and challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate medical staffs' preference for AI triage and the influencing factors.Methods: A survey was conducted online among medical staffs in China from March 4th to April 28th, 2021. Participants were recruited through multiple channels, including medical professional platforms and social media. A total of 677 valid responses were obtained from medical staff members located in 28 provinces across China.Results: The results showed that AI triage had an overall acceptance rate of 77.1%, and 45.2% of the medical staffs surveyed preferred "AI triage exclusively." Direct experience was positively associated with medical staffs' preference for AI triage (beta = 0.223, p < .001). Additionally, greater exposure to a variety of media was positively associated with the perceived value of AI technology, which, in turn, increased preference for AI triage (beta = 0.040, SE = 0.013, p < .001, 95% CI = [0.017, 0.067]).Conclusion: Medical staffs generally hold a favorable attitude towards AI triage, particularly in areas with a high medical burden and during pandemics. In a multimedia environment, media exposure variety impacts medical staffs' preferences through their perceived value of AI technology. This study has implications for the implementation of AI triage on a larger scale.