Wolters Kluwer Health survey examines AI use and concerns among clinicians, patients in 2026

Recent Wolters Kluwer Health surveys in 2026 reveal that AI adoption among clinicians and patients is accelerating, but both groups have significant concerns about safety, privacy, and trust in the technology.

More than half of clinicians now use AI tools at least weekly in their work, with doctors using AI multiple times a day jumping to 38% and nurses to 32%—up from 10% and 16% a year earlier.

Roughly 52% of patients say they use AI to research health conditions or diagnoses, and AI‑generated health information is now a common topic in clinical visits, with 60% of clinicians reporting time spent reviewing AI‑driven patient research.

A separate 2025–2026 Wolters Kluwer survey of 518 U.S. healthcare professionals found that 40% had encountered unauthorized AI tools and nearly 20% had personally used them, sometimes for direct patient care—a phenomenon known as "shadow AI."

Clinicians’ top concerns include patient safety, inaccurate outputs, and loss of critical‑thinking skills; 74% of clinicians say deskilling will be one of AI’s greatest risks, while administrators also worry about data privacy and regulatory compliance.