Key result
Oncology care staff are ~5 times more likely than administrators to lack confidence describing AI.
Why the study?
AI in cancer care offers opportunities to reduce administrative burden and support care delivery, but prompts questions around safety, equity, and clinical judgment, requiring an assessment of how oncology professionals engage with AI.
Cross-Sectional (n=168)
Yes
A national survey of US cancer programs reveals broad interest in AI but highlights a lack of confidence among care delivery staff in evaluating its utility compared to administrative staff.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May warrant targeted AI training for oncology care delivery staff; leaves open optimal strategies to build evaluation confidence.
e13648 Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) in cancer care offers opportunities to reduce administrative burden, improve efficiency, and support care delivery, yet it prompts questions around safety, equity, and clinical judgment. To assess real-world perspectives, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) conducted a national survey examining how oncology professionals engage with AI, their perceived value, and the barriers to adoption. Methods: ACCC, with guidance from an expert committee, created a national online survey of multidisciplinary staff at US cancer programs from May and August 2025. The 26-item survey assessed experiences and perceptions of AI, organizational adoption and governance, and implementation barriers and facilitators. Completed responses were analyzed using descriptive and stratified statistics in Stata 18, with qualitative data examined using rapid inductive thematic analysis. Results: Respondents (N=168) from 36 states included 61% in care delivery and 39% in administrative/operational roles, primarily from community (46%) and NCI-designated or academic (44%) programs. Care delivery staff were less confident than administrative/operations respondents in describing AI use (21% vs 4% “not at all [confident]”), discussing benefits of AI use (18% vs 7%), and critically evaluating AI systems (26% vs 13%). Administrative/operations respondents reported higher confidence contributing to AI implementation (45% vs 32%) and a higher likelihood to adopt/expand AI for treatment planning (52% vs 34%), clinical trial matching (49% vs 32%), and prior authorization (52% vs 35%). Rural respondents were more likely to express concern about declines in patient-provider communication (63% vs 22% suburban and 30% urban), as were those without AI experience (54% vs 24%). Academic respondents rated improving clinical decision-making/diagnostic accuracy, and establishing performance benchmarks and evaluating AI systems, as higher motivators for integration (0.82 vs 0.41; 0.53 vs 0.26), whereas community respondents rated patient engagement higher (0.36 vs 0.13). Respondents with AI experience reported a higher likelihood to adopt/expand AI for chatbots and virtual assistants (52% vs 16%), real-time alerts (35% vs 14%), personalized patient education (46% vs 27%), and individualized patient navigation (38% vs 11%). Qualitative responses reinforced these findings, highlighting stakeholder engagement, evidence of effectiveness, training, integration, and governance as critical for AI implementation. Conclusions: The results reveal broad AI use despite limited AI tools and governance implementation. Respondents were confident acknowledging AI’s limitations but less confident in evaluating its utility, highlighting opportunities for ACCC to support adoption, governance, and AI integration focused on efficiency and patient outcomes.
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Oort et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Cancer care (n=168). Artificial intelligence was evaluated on Experiences, perceptions, organizational adoption, governance, and implementation barriers of AI. Care delivery staff in oncology were less confident than administrative respondents in describing artificial intelligence use (21% vs 4% not at all confident) and evaluating systems (26% vs 13%).
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