3 Ways Surgical Robotics Could Help the NHS and Revolutionize Patient Care
- Josh Fairs
- Jul 3, 2023
- 3 min read
Throughout the 1990s, many surgical robotic concepts were brought to life due to their unique advantages. For example, the ROBODOC system, used in hip replacement surgery, obtained FDA approval in 1992. It was realized that surgeons could perform complex procedures with greater precision, control, and flexibility relative to conventional techniques. Through the 2000s, the Da Vinci surgical system emerged as a leader in the industry. As of 2021, over 6 million procedures had been completed using this system all around the globe [1]!
In addition to the benefits to the surgeon, recent studies suggest that robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) procedures are safer and drastically improve patient recovery time [2]. RAS is used in around 40,000 procedures each year by the NHS, commonly in urology, gynecology, and general surgeries [3]. As part of their 15-year plan, the UK government recently announced a commitment to embrace technological innovations such as RAS. So, how could this benefit the NHS?
1. Cut Patient Waiting Times
With over 7 million NHS patients waiting for clinical care or surgery, it is vital to reduce waiting times. Wait times can influence patient satisfaction and health outcomes. Inconvenience, patient discomfort, and delayed diagnosis are all associated with long wait times. In 2021, patient satisfaction fell to a record low since 1997 [4]. The main reason for this was waiting times.
RAS procedures have been shown to reduce the length of stay in the hospital post-surgery, as demonstrated in a recent study that estimated a 20% reduction [2]. This is likely because RAS facilitates minimal access procedures, which are less intrusive and easier for the patient to recover from. Ultimately, reducing the length of stay will free up resources and beds for new patients sooner. Consequently, more procedures could be performed, and waiting times reduced.
2. Reduce Post-Surgery Complications
Post-surgery complications, such as wound infection, often result in readmission to the hospital. This creates additional pressure on the healthcare system and negatively impacts the patient's quality of life. Consequently, the likelihood of such complications should be reduced to improve patient outcomes and relieve stress on the healthcare system.
The high precision and advanced features of RAS reduce post-surgery complications. For example, devices may have tremor-reducing functions for enhanced precision. It has been found that readmission for RAS procedures is reduced by over 10% relative to conventional procedures [2]. This represents fewer post-surgery complications and improved patient outcomes.
3. Digitalization of Surgical Procedures
With the digitalization of surgical procedures comes the ability to harness meaningful data, helping surgeons make more informed decisions. This could include telemetry data from the robot, such as oxygen saturation, contextual information about the patient, and live video from the robot. RAS procedures can connect this data onto a single platform. For example, the Versius ecosystem developed by CMR Surgical.
With access to this data, surgeons can optimize patient outcomes and improve the efficiencies of procedures. As a result, this could decrease the likelihood of post-surgery complications. In the near future, this data could be used with augmented reality (AR) technologies to project information onto the surgeon's view and further aid decision-making.
Thoughts on Surgical Robotics💭
It is clear that surgical robotics is highly advantageous to the NHS and improves patient outcomes. The technology could help relieve pressures on our healthcare system and improve patient satisfaction. It is excellent to see the number of RAS procedures increasing year-on-year!
However, I believe it will be a long time before conventional procedures are fully replaced by RAS procedures. As with any publicly-funded healthcare system, cost is the main concern. For example, the Da Vinci surgical system has a price tag of around $2 million! Although this is a high initial cost, it could be offset in the long term by time savings. Ultimately, the introduction of robotics will be based on decisions made through health economic analysis for each trust.
Surgical robotics has great potential to revolutionize our healthcare system and produce life-changing results. Collaboration between healthcare professionals, engineers, and scientists will only accelerate its introduction.
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