Robotic surgery: public perceptions and current misconceptions

AbstractWhilst surgeons and robotic companies are key stakeholders involved in the adoption of robotic  assisted surgery (RS), the public’s role is overlooked. However, given that patients hold ultimate power over their healthcare decisions, public acceptance of RS is crucial. Therefore, this study aims to identify public understanding, opinions, and misconceptions about RS. An online questionnair e distributed between February and May 2021 ascertained the views of UK adults on RS. The themes of questions included familiarity, experience and comfort with RS, opinions on its ethical implications, and the impact of factual information provided to the participant. The data were evaluated using t hematic and statistical analysis, including assessing for statistical differences in age, gender, education level, and presence in the medical field. Overall, 216 responses were analysed. Participants were relatively uninformed about RS, with a median knowledge score of 4.00(2.00–6.00) on a 10-poi nt Likert scale. Fears surrounding increased risk, reduced precision and technological failure were identified, alongside misconceptions about its autonomous nature. However, providing factual information in the survey about RS statistically increased participant comfort (p = <  0.0001). Most (61.8%) participants believed robot manufacturers were responsible for malfunctions, but doctors were held accountable more by older, less educated, and non-medical participants. Our findings...
Source: Journal of Robotic Surgery - Category: Surgery Source Type: research