This study aims to investigate the knowledge, experience, and opinion on AI among gastroenterology (GI) patients, gastroenterologists, and GI-fellows, particularly concerning implementation and application of AI (in assisting clinicians) in healthcare. The secondary aims are to investigate (dis)advantages of AI use in healthcare and the availability of technical facilities and infrastructures within endoscopy to implement and apply AI in Dutch hospitals.

In recent years, important developments have been made in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). These developments have led to the large-scale application of AI in our everyday lives and AI-research within healthcare. A potentially promising application of AI lies in imaging analysis. For example, within gastroenterology this means the detection and classification of colorectal polyps and Barrett's neoplasia, disease severity scoring of inflammatory bowel diseases, and differentiating pancreatic cancer from chronic pancreatitis.

Despite the investments in AI-research, there is a lack in knowledge concerning patients' and physicians' perspectives on AI in healthcare. This prospective questionnaire study investigates these perspectives, obtaining data from both gastroenterology (GI) patients and GI-physicians within the Netherlands. The questionnaires focus on the knowledge, experience, and opinion of AI, particularly concerning the implementation of AI in (gastroenterology) healthcare. Furthermore, the current (endoscopic) infrastructure within Dutch hospitals will be investigated for its readnessy for AI.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Gastrointestinal (GI) patients with an outpatient appointment in the gastroenterology department for an endoscopic procedure in the context of the Dutch national screening program, because of gastrointestinal symptoms, or because of follow-up of previously diagnosed bowel diseases (in one of the two participating hospitals);
• Gastroenterologists working in Dutch hospitals;
• Gastroenterology fellows working in Dutch hospitals;
• Minimal age of 18 years old.

Exclusion Criteria:

• No appropriate understanding of the Dutch language;
• Not willing to sign informed consent;
• Objection to participate in medical scientific research, reported in the medical file.

Gastroenterology patients who will have an outpatient appointment for an endoscopic procedure in the context of the national bowel cancer screening program, because of gastrointestinal symptoms, or because of follow-up of previously diagnosed bowel diseases, in one of two Dutch hospitals between April 2020 and September 2020.

Gastroenterologists and gastroenterology fellows working in Dutch hospitals.

Data collected for the study, including individual participant data, will be made available upon request. This data includes deidentified participant data. Additional documents that will be made available are the study protocol, the statistical analysis plan, the questionnaires, and the informed consent forms. Data will be available following publication with no end date. Requests should be methodologically sound proposals with the purpose to achieve aims in the approved proposal. Researchers who request the data should direct the proposal to q.vanderzander@maastrichtuniversity.nl to gain access. Data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement after approval of a proposal.

Data will be available following publication with no end date.

Requests should be methodologically sound proposals with the purpose to achieve aims in the approved proposal. Data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement after approval of a proposal.