While the level of innovation and contribution from surgical robots is well established, until recently they have been, in many ways narrowly focused one-trick ponies. The design parameters of some surgical robots are self-limiting and have even contributed to increased criticism and seemingly skeptical revenue results. These deficiencies are not a categorical fault of surgical robots in general; they are only a reflection of the design assumptions and the specific implementations.
As medical and technological pioneers continue to develop the next generation of surgical robotics, there are a number of areas that should be reassessed to change the way that robots are used and the impact they produce. Rethinking many of these principles could broaden use cases, increase accessibility and even increase the level of surgical techniques, and speed up the training for surgical residents.
Rethinking, the way robots are designed is the first step. Today’s surgical robots are very expensive pieces of equipment requiring a capital expenditure that can limit the hospital’s ability to afford one. Creating a have and have-not condition, these surgical robots result in business dynamics that have the potential to influence medical decisions. For example, the decision to refer some procedures to a larger hospital. The price of such large capital purchases also puts more pressure on equipment utilization to cost-justify.
Rethinking the way, surgical robots are procured today can substantially influence the ability of hospitals to acquire one. As an example, today’s cloud-based computing and infrastructures have shifted to more of a pay-as-you-go model and offered “everything-as-a-service.” Businesses today no longer have to purchase expensive computer equipment to host enterprise applications, such as those for finance and accounting, customer relationship management, or data analytics.
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