{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T18:10:07Z","timestamp":1789495807438,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789430400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into healthcare systems, with growing applications in clinical decision support, workflow optimization, and population health management. While substantial investments have been made in digital infrastructure, the successful adoption of AI in primary care depends critically on the readiness, awareness, and educational preparedness of healthcare professionals. Global health authorities emphasize the need for ethically grounded and workforce\u2011focused approaches to AI integration; however, evidence on clinicians\u2019 readiness for AI, particularly in primary care settings and in the Middle East region, remains limited.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aims to assess the level of awareness, perceptions, attitudes, and educational needs related to AI among healthcare professionals working within Qatar\u2019s Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). In addition, it seeks to examine organizational factors influencing the integration of AI\u2011focused education in primary care and to develop an AI readiness framework that can inform targeted training strategies and policy planning.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study will adopt a mixed\u2011methods design guided by the Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) framework, adapted for AI integration in primary care. The quantitative component will consist of an anonymous, census\u2011style online survey distributed to all healthcare professionals across PHCC health centers and headquarters, assessing AI awareness, attitudes, training needs, and perceived infrastructure readiness. Composite AI awareness and attitude scores will be calculated, and regression analyses will be used to explore factors associated with AI readiness. The qualitative component will include semi\u2011structured interviews and focus group discussions using maximum variation sampling to capture diverse professional perspectives. Qualitative data will be analyzed thematically, following COREQ and SRQR reporting standards. Quantitative and qualitative findings will be integrated to generate an AI readiness profile and an actionable education roadmap aligned with national digital health priorities.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study will provide the first comprehensive assessment of AI readiness among primary care healthcare professionals in Qatar. By identifying knowledge gaps, training priorities, and organizational enablers and barriers, the findings are expected to inform the development of evidence\u2011based AI education strategies within continuing professional development frameworks. The proposed AI readiness framework may also offer a transferable model for other health systems seeking to align workforce development with responsible AI implementation in primary care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0345347","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T17:48:16Z","timestamp":1789494496000},"page":"e0345347","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Preparing for the future: A mixed methods study protocol on AI awareness and educational integration in Qatar\u2019s Primary Health Care Workforce"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4968-3549","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Muslim Abbas","family":"Syed","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Consultant (Research), Clinical Affairs","place":["Qatar"],"department":["Department of Clinical Research"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ahmed Sameer","family":"Alnuaimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Research Consultant, Clinical Affairs","place":["Qatar"],"department":["Department of Clinical Research -Primary Health Care Corporation"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dana Bilal","family":"El Kaissi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Research Coordinator, Clinical Affairs","place":["Qatar"],"department":["Department of Clinical Research"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohamed Ahmed","family":"Syed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acting Director of Clinical Research, Clinical Affairs","place":["Qatar"],"department":["Department of Clinical Research"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0345347.ref001","volume-title":"Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health: large multi-modal models","author":"WH Organization","year":"2024"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0345347.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"964","DOI":"10.7326\/M24-0146","article-title":"Artificial intelligence in the provision of health care: an American college of physicians policy position paper","volume":"177","author":"ACP Medical Informatics Committee and the Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ann Intern Med"},{"key":"pone.0345347.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.2196\/48785","article-title":"Opportunities, challenges, and future directions of generative artificial intelligence in medical education: scoping review","volume":"9","author":"C Preiksaitis","year":"2023","journal-title":"JMIR Med Educ"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0345347.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1187","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-025-07744-0","article-title":"Integrating artificial intelligence into medical education: a narrative systematic review of current applications, challenges, and future directions","volume":"25","author":"Z Ahsan","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Med Educ"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0345347.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"727","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijnurstu.2014.11.014","article-title":"Skill mix, roles and remuneration in the primary care workforce: who are the healthcare professionals in the primary care teams across the world?","volume":"52","author":"T Freund","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int J Nurs Stud"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0345347.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/s10462-025-11342-3","article-title":"A comprehensive review on key technologies toward smart healthcare systems based IoT: technical aspects, challenges and future directions","volume":"58","author":"M Alsabah","year":"2025","journal-title":"Artif Intell Rev"},{"key":"pone.0345347.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.2196\/40781","article-title":"Perceptions of family physicians about applying ai in primary health care: case study from a premier health care organization","volume":"3","author":"MA Waheed","year":"2024","journal-title":"JMIR AI"},{"key":"pone.0345347.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2134","DOI":"10.1111\/1475-6773.12117","article-title":"Achieving integration in mixed methods designs-principles and practices","volume":"48","author":"MD Fetters","year":"2013","journal-title":"Health Serv Res"},{"key":"pone.0345347.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Katz-Buonincontro J. 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