R-AI-diographers : a European survey on perceived impact of AI on professional identity, careers, and radiographers' roles

Stogiannos, Nikolaos (author), Walsh, Gemma (author), Ohene-Botwe, Benard (author), McHugh, Kevin (author), Potts, Ben (author), Tam, Winnie (author), O'Sullivan, Chris (author), Sipos, Dávid (author), Dybeli, Elona (author), Mekiš, Nejc (author)

Objectives Radiographers use advanced medical imaging and radiotherapy (MIRT) equipment. They are also a digitally mature and digitally resilient workforce in healthcare. Artificial intelligence is already changing their clinical practice and roles in data acquisition, post-processing, and workflow management. It is therefore vital to understand the impact of AI on the careers, roles and professional identity of radiographers, as key stakeholders of the digital transformation of healthcare within the medical imaging ecosystem. Methods A European radiographer survey, endorsed by the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS), was distributed online. It was piloted with twelve radiographers and translated into eight languages. Although this study included both qualitative and quantitative results, this paper emphasises the quantitative aspect. Results A total of 2206 European radiographers have responded from 37 different countries. Despite some concerns around workforce deskilling, future professional identity, and job prospects, participants showed overall optimistic views about the use of AI in healthcare. This was particularly strong for those with prior AI education (mean: 2.15 vs. 1.89; p-value: < 0.001), hands-on experience with AI (correlation: 0.047; p-value: 0.038), from countries with higher digital literacy (mean: 2.00 vs.1.93; p-value: 0.027) and a higher academic level of radiography education (mean: 3.28 vs. 3.15; p-value: 0.002). Men appeared slightly more enthused about the development of technological skills and women about the honing of patient-centred care skills. Finally, interprofessional collaboration was seen as essential not only for the seamless clinical integration of AI but also for supporting patient benefit. Conclusion While AI implementation advances, AI education needs to keep at pace to ensure acceptability, trust, and safe use of this technology by healthcare professionals, minimising their concerns around professional role changes and enabling them to see the opportunities of service transformation. Critical relevance statement This paper aims to map out the perceived impact of AI on the professional identity and careers of European radiographers.

• Language: English
• Keywords: artificial intelligence, radiographers, Europe, professional identity, impact
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 13 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, art. 43
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-167434
• UDC: 616-073
• ISSN on article: 1869-4101
• DOI: 10.1186/s13244-025-01918-6
• COBISS.SI-ID: 226965251
• Publication date in RUL: 21.02.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Insights into imaging
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1869-4101
• COBISS.SI-ID: 27895001

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Projects

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Project number: 218
• Name: College of Radiographers Industry Partnership Scheme
• Acronym: CoRIPS