Ms. Claire del Rio1, Ms. Helen Nelson1, A/Prof. Danielle Hitch1,2
1Western Health, St. Albans, Australia, 2Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Biography:
Claire del Rio is a Senior Occupational Therapist at Western Health, Melbourne, with extensive experience in clinical practice and education. She holds a postgraduate qualification in clinical teaching and plays an active role in Occupational Therapy (OT) and Allied Health education portfolios alongside her Acute clinical role. Claire’s current focus is on understanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in OT practice and addressing the learning needs of OTs to effectively adapt to this transformative technology.
Abstract:
This presentation explores occupational therapists’ perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) within an Australian hospital context, highlighting their optimism, limited preparedness, and training needs. A survey of 53 occupational therapists (96% female, mean age 29.42 years, 7.27 years OT experience) revealed poor to fair self-rated AI knowledge (M=1.32), skills (M=1.21), confidence (M=1.30), and comfort (M=1.62), based on minimal AI experience (M=0.47 years). Despite this, participants perceived that AI could enhance patient care (M=3.51), clinical decision-making (M=3.08), and population health (M=3.45), and strongly endorsed its potential to reshape future roles (M=3.58). This raises questions about the basis of their optimism given their limited expertise.
Preparedness scored lower (M=2.45), with inadequate training (M=1.81) identified as a critical gap. Key barriers included knowledge deficits, ethical concerns, and doubts about AI’s alignment with person-centred occupational therapy practice, while facilitators included better technology access and targeted training. Participants sought foundational AI education, discipline specific case studies, and ethical guidance. The study underscores an immediate need for structured training to boost AI literacy and ensure ethical integration, given the rapidly increasing role of this technology in all aspects of daily life. It also highlights the necessity for health services to clarify AI policies, address resource access, and prepare for workforce transitions.