Readiness for remote healthcare and artificial intelligence in kidney transplant care: a cross-sectional study

Kidney transplant patients require intensive follow-up, including monitoring of immunosuppression and screening for complications. Information and communication technologies (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI) may help optimize and personalize transplant care. We assessed patients’ attitudes toward these technologies using a structured questionnaire. A total of 130 patients participated, including 82 (63.1%) kidney transplant recipients and 48 (36.9%) patients awaiting transplantation. Smartphone (96.9%) and computer (93.8%) ownership was high. Most participants perceived ICT as improving the quality of care (81.7%). AI was primarily viewed as a supportive tool for physicians (59.8%), although many participants expressed doubts regarding its medical (50.4%) and social capabilities (61.2%). In multivariable analyses, higher education was independently associated with greater willingness to share health data via a clinic app (adjusted OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.57–8.89) and better comprehension of AI (adjusted OR 5.35, 95% CI 2.23–12.79). Higher eHealth literacy was associated with greater acceptance of online communication (adjusted OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02–1.21) and better comprehension of AI (adjusted OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.20), while male sex was associated with greater trust in AI-generated treatment plans (adjusted OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.14–5.69).These findings support the integration of ICT and AI into transplant care while highlighting the need for targeted implementation strategies tailored to specific patient groups.