Organizational Change in Health Institutions: Artificial Intelligence Anxiety of Internal and Surgical Branch Physicians

Objective: The integration of artificial intelligence applications into the health sector creates some concerns about the uncertainties in the process as well as facilitating factors in service delivery. This study investigates the interaction and changes with professional qualifications by examining AI anxiety, readiness for AI, and openness to organizational change among physicians in internal and surgical specialties. Method: The study data were collected between September 1, 2024 and November 15, 2024 from 15 health institutions with the status of training and research hospitals on the Anatolian and European sides of Istanbul by online survey method. Valid measurement tools for data collection: Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale, Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale, and Organizational Openness to Change Scale were used. The distribution of variables was analyzed by Shapiro Wilk test. Differences between groups that did not show normal distribution were analyzed using Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H tests. Bonferroni correction was applied for multiple test corrections in intragroup comparisons. Results: AI anxiety was generally moderate, with no difference between specialties. Regular follow-up of medical literature was positively correlated with decreased AI anxiety and increased readiness levels. Openness to organizational change was found to be high in both specialties. Conclusion: AI anxiety and AI readiness are influenced by gender and following medical literature. Following academic literature and training programs are critical for building confidence in AI applications. Physicians' openness to organizational change is a facilitating factor for the best implementation of AI in clinical settings through hands-on training and scientific studies.