From scalpels and forceps to robotic precision, surgical practices are evolving faster today than ever before. Even as recently as a decade ago, advanced digital surgery could only be imagined but today has the potential to raise global surgical standards and optimize worldwide health outcomes.

Imagine the typical workday of a surgeon: piling caseloads, mounting exhaustion, and the constant need to operate at peak levels of performance and precision. But access to innovative tools and technologies have the potential to transform the surgical profession globally. 

Advanced digital surgery will provide surgeons – as well as anaesthesiologists, nurses, and assistants – with access to the mindshare of the world’s best surgeons in the form of a digital, ever-growing platform.  

These advances start with helpful suggestions – avoid a blood vessel here, a nerve there. However, as these platforms mature, they will help surgeons to make better clinical decisions based on patients’ individual needs. Beyond enabling faster and more precise operations as well as improvements to hospital-wide procedures brought on by influxes of data, this new technology is gaining the trust of surgeons and shows clear promise for improving health outcomes for patients. 

Advanced digital surgery in practice

Progress is underway to achieve the future described above. In 2024, Johns Hopkins University researchers trained a surgical robot to replicate the movements of human surgeons using imitation learning. Augmented reality goggles are aiding safe, accurate spinal surgery while artificial intelligence (AI) is helping radiologists to detect cancer earlier, streamlining treatments. And while not all advancements are groundbreaking – with many companies opting for iterative improvements such as adding sensors to devices to generate real-time data – the life-saving potential of this technology is undeniable. 

Connecting data across the continuum of care, from emergency situations to health at home, is key to enhancing patient outcomes and solving challenges associated geographic differences. Surgeon variability could be minimized through access to the best surgical achievements in a central global repository of life-saving interventions. A digital platform could suggest optimal approaches for individuals, analyzing bone health, activity, and hydration levels to predict, for example, a future knee replacement, enabling implant selection and placement specific to the patient (not the condition). 

While these advancements may seem far off, medtech leaders can take steps now to gather data in a constellation of knowledge and win the trust of surgeons and patients. 

Feed the algorithm 

Toronto’s MedTech Conference showcased the latest in tech-enabled surgery, including advanced diagnostics, surgical navigation and robotics, and visualization technologies. Many industry experts believe that where next-gen surgical solutions are concerned, the algorithms are ready – they just need data to feed them. 

The sensors, robotics, and navigation systems that aid complex procedures all produce data. When shared between surgical teams, this data can enhance patient outcomes through more accurate, smoother, personalized surgery. The challenge is that surgical devices are made by different manufacturers. To improve procedures, devices need an interoperable interface to turn surgeons’ decisions, movements, and patient responses into repeatable ones and zeros.

Collecting data isn’t the hard part. Complications surrounding consent and ownership, especially if hospitals look to monetize data – can often discourage hospitals from turning sharp scalpels into smart ones. 

While some patients may feel uncomfortable about consenting to share their data, those who feel safe and protected are likely to agree to share their data — provided organizations take steps to de-identify this information, necessitating tight cybersecurity protocols. 

To feed the algorithm, medtech leaders must educate hospitals, payers, and surgeons about the immense value of data sharing. By showcasing these benefits, including more effective surgery, better care, and potential discounts from equipment manufacturers, stakeholders can begin to better understand the ROI. In addition, building prototypes, fed with publicly available data, can show the value-add for the ecosystem. 

Building trust with surgeons

Chances are, someone you know owns an electric vehicle. 25 years ago, drivers doubted electric cars would get from A to B, let alone get there safely. Today, however, more and more high-voltage vehicles hum along the roads. Trust comes from familiarity and reassurance. 

Medtech leaders can build trust through platforms that augment surgeons’ decisions with valuable insights – not overbearing alerts. For example, if one surgeon’s process differs from others in their speciality, that doesn’t mean the technique is wrong. Personalization is key. In hyper-stressful medical environments, surgeons need systems to help them, not distract them or cause ‘analysis paralysis’. Surgeons need to trust that technology will improve procedures and outcomes – and as this is proven, trust will grow. Better outcomes will be achieved when surgeons’ decisions draw on global practice and patient-specific information. 

The patient’s perspective  

Beyond medical practitioners and stakeholders, the patient is key. If patients don’t trust digital surgery solutions, they won’t want them. As a result, hospitals won’t invest in these solutions. To combat this challenge, organizations have begun to directly market medtech devices to patients, encouraging them to seek digital surgery capabilities. 

In contrast, there have been a handful of high-profile stories that have intensified patient sensitivities about health data. When bad actors do not take the appropriate measures when collecting and leveraging patient data, it can cause serious concern across the entire industry. This and other factors likely contribute to our findings that fewer than a quarter of respondents trust global biopharma companies to run clinical trials. 

When patients see value in devices and platforms – namely improving outcomes – they can confidently share data. It’s crucial for patients to understand that their data is only used while they are operated on, and, post-operation, de-identified. If patients know their data serves positive purposes, rather than being manipulated for commercial gain, they will view these solutions as beneficial. 

The stage is set

While it might take another decade for widespread advanced digital surgery, the foundations are being laid today.

By leveraging innovative partnerships, medtech leaders can encourage hospitals and patients to share data more freely. They can build trust with surgeons and patients through education, personalization, and useability. However, the most important action is to keep innovating. 

Digital systems should augment, not replace, surgical teams. For patients, faster and smoother procedures mean speedier recoveries and less time spent in hospitals. Advanced digital surgery can deliver better health outcomes, for more people, everywhere.

Photo: tonefotografia, Getty Images

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