Table 3.

Artificial Intelligence Versus Physician-Based Diagnostic Interpretation of Teleophthalmology for Diabetic Eye Screening

Themes	Example quotes
Preference for a human physician to review the eye photos vs. AI	“[I would prefer] a physician… because they're going to review [the eye photos] more thoroughly… Although, I don't even know how advanced the computer is.” (Patient 4) “I'd want the doctor. Because computers make mistakes, I mean, human beings definitely make mistakes, but I trust the doctor because he's educated, he's gone to medical school for some years, probably got a reputation. And the computer does make mistakes, it doesn't have a reputation. It hasn't gone to school.” (Patient 5) “The ophthalmologist. Because he is better, right? Because he has more experience. There's also the human part involved… Even if there's a machine, the machine does what it's already programmed to do, nothing more… Doctors always put all their mental capacity, what they've learned, emotions or that way of seeing things honestly… (Patient 13) “I think that the ophthalmologist has more experience, since they've been working for several years… Although the computer is more accurate, doctors have the experience of being there… I feel safer when a person sees it.” (Patient 20)
Preference for a human physician to use AI for decision support, but make the final diagnosis	“I will feel extremely comfortable having a computer analyze and compare [my eye photos] with millions of other pictures… in a fast way… But I also want to make sure that a person who will be treating me and giving me advice sees that [result]… and makes their own decision and is not a machine. So, the machine can inform the doctor.” (Patient 18)
Ambivalence toward AI-based eye screening	“I think that if [teleophthalmology results are] checked by a computer, it's better than by a doctor… because we're at a level where computers are perfect… I don't know, it's difficult because human beings have something that a computer will never have, which is feelings.” (Patient 1) “I trust human beings more than machines. Although, computers are precise.” (Patient 3)

AI, artificial intelligence.