Community Health Center Patients Raise Red Flags About AI in Healthcare

Survey finds 85% are concerned about AI accessing health information

MIDDLETOWN, Conn., Aug. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new independent survey of patients at Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC), based in Middletown, Conn., is sending a clear message about artificial intelligence in healthcare: use it carefully, protect our information, tell us when it is being used, and keep people in charge. CHC will use the findings to inform the use of AI in caring for its patients across Connecticut.

The survey found that 64% of patients are uncomfortable with the general use of AI in their care, while 64.9% are uncomfortable with a provider using AI to make healthcare recommendations. Even more striking, approximately 85% are concerned about AI accessing their personal health information.

For those who did identify potential benefits, faster access to care (23.4%) and better communication with staff (22.2%) ranked highest.

Among the survey's strongest findings was not opposition to AI, but concerns about transparency. Patients said it is very or extremely important to know when and how AI is being used as part of their care. Seventy percent called disclosure "extremely important."

That demand was especially strong among younger adults, who were also the least comfortable with AI. Among patients ages 18 to 34, 84.1% said disclosure was extremely important.

The survey also identified important differences across patient populations. Younger adults, women, and behavioral health patients reported lower comfort with AI, while patients age 35 and older, men, and Spanish-language respondents were generally more receptive. Behavioral health patients were the most privacy-concerned, underscoring the need for particular caution when considering AI applications involving highly sensitive behavioral health information.

The findings come from an independent survey commissioned by Moses/Weitzman Health System/Community Health Center, Inc. and conducted by The Crossroads Group, Inc. between June 1 and June 23, 2026. A random sample of patients who received CHC services between January and March 2026 was invited to participate. A total of 784 patients completed the survey through text messaging or bilingual telephone interviews.

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SOURCE Moses/Weitzman Health System