University Proposal: Consumer Acceptance of Robots as Doctors

This report presents a research proposal focused on the consumer acceptance of robots in healthcare settings. It begins by outlining the problem, which is the potential transformation of the healthcare industry through the integration of robotics and artificial intelligence, and the subsequent role of robots as doctors. The proposal explores the literature gap regarding consumer trust, ethical, and legal challenges associated with robots in healthcare. The pre-reading evidence indicates mixed views on consumer acceptance, which justifies further research. The rationale highlights the need to address potential challenges and evaluate the ethical and legal implications. The proposal aims to investigate whether consumers will accept robots as doctors, considering the rise in labor costs and the potential for machines to perform human-like functions. The study also considers the socio-technical challenges and the potential for changes in the role of physicians with the use of robotics. The proposal references key academic sources and outlines the structure for a comprehensive literature review, methodology, results, discussion, implications, limitations, and future research.

Running head: PROPOSAL
Robots as Doctors? Consumer Acceptance of Robots in Healthcare Settings
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
1. Literature Problem...........................................................................................................2
2. Evidence of Pre Reading.................................................................................................2
3. Rationale of Literature Review........................................................................................3
References............................................................................................................................4

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PROPOSAL
1. Literature Problem
The emergence of robotics has gradually transformed the industries across the globe. The
convergence of robotics with artificial intelligence has paved the way for several innovation and
AI enables the robots to perform human like functions. Therefore, it is possible for robots to take
the place of doctors in healthcare setting in near future.
The undertaken study aims in analyzing the managerial issue that can arise if Robots play
the role of doctors. The proposed study will be evaluating the extent of consumers’ acceptance of
robots in place of doctors, playing their role in healthcare setting. Consumers may not accept or
trust a robot with their life. Along with that, there are several ethical and legal challenges
associated with the same. The study will evaluate this problem.
2. Evidence of Pre Reading
The emergence of AI has made it possible for the machines to perform several human
like functions and therefore, robots as doctors may not be surprising. According to Simshaw et
al. (2015), robotics research and development are the most dynamic areas in healthcare
application. There is a high possibility of increase in demands of the robotics nurses and doctors
mainly because of the rising labour cost.
Cresswell, Cunningham-Burley and Sheikh (2018), state that one of the key challenges of
appointing robots as doctor might come in form of consumers’ acceptance of the same. The
authors indicate that there can be several significant socio technical challenges linked with the
integration of several robotic application such as robots as doctors of nurses. Trust is a social
phenomenon and there is a high chance of lack of acceptance of robots as doctors.
Head (2018), puts forward the fact that no one wishes to get a full medical assessment by
a robotic doctor, which indicate that there is a higher risk of consumers not accepting robots in
any healthcare settings. Hence, till now there is no absolute answer if an AI enhanced robot will
be accepted in place of a human doctor. Therefore, there is a literature gap regarding the
consumers’ acceptance of robots as doctors. Thus, conducting a research in this area is justified.
Meltzer (2014), on the other hand outlines the possibility of robots taking up the place of
doctors in healthcare as surgeons might have to make way for smarter machines. The researcher

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PROPOSAL
indicates that there is a high chance that the role of a physician will change with the use of
robotics.
3. Rationale of Literature Review
The evidence from the pre reading indicates that there are mixed views regarding the
consumers’ acceptance of robots In place of doctors and it creates a potential literature gaps.
Further studies in this field is necessary to address the problem of whether the robots will be
accepted in place of doctors in any healthcare setting. Further studies is needed in this topic to
evaluate the challenges that can be faced if AI enabled robots perform the work of a doctor.
Apart from issue with the consumers’ acceptance, there can be several legal and ethical issues
associated with this idea, which can be evaluated as well, through further studies on this topic
and research area.

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PROPOSAL
References
Cresswell, K., Cunningham-Burley, S., & Sheikh, A. (2018). Health care robotics: qualitative
exploration of key challenges and future directions. Journal of medical Internet
research, 20(7), e10410.
Head, H. T. (2018). Patient commentary: Stop hyping artificial intelligence—patients will
always need human doctors. Bmj, 363.
Meltzer, T. (2014). Robot doctors, online lawyers and automated architects: The future of the
professions. The Guardian, 15.
Simshaw, D., Terry, N., Hauser, K., & Cummings, M. L. (2015). Regulating healthcare robots:
Maximizing opportunities while minimizing risks. Rich. JL & Tech., 22, 1.