Surgical robots are hailed for their ability to attract patients and improve outcomes, but some are skeptical of the hype.
Here are five ASC leaders' opinions on surgical robots:
Ravi Bashyal, MD. Director of outpatient hip and knee replacement surgery at NorthShore University HealthSystem (Chicago): You can't skip learning how to do the operation properly and just count on the computer to do it for you. [Robotic surgery] takes people and it enhances their skills and ability. I think that if we use it in a nonsubstitutive manner — meaning we're not using robotics or computers to take the place of our thought process or to make us do less work — we're using them as enablers. That's going to really help us take better care of our patients and have better outcomes, which at the end of the day is what's most important for all of us.
Armando Colon, CASCC. Privacy and compliance officer at the Day Surgery Center (Winter Haven, Fla.): Patients are looking not only for safety and value, but advanced technology and the precision of robotics when choosing a surgical facility. The most successful outpatient total joint or spine programs are heavily reliant on physician buy-in and involvement, in addition to well-thought-out protocols and an engaged anesthesia partner. We can proudly say that the physician's involvement and engagement is there, as well as the best implementation protocols. For ASCs, having a robot in the operating room can mean that more procedures can be performed with fewer complications and higher levels of patient satisfaction.
Sam Williams. Assistant vice president of operations at Ambulatory Surgery Northwell Health (Lake Success, N.Y.): Having a robot is not necessarily needed for growth because many of the outpatient cases are quick enough that a robot may hinder turnover times and efficiency. However, patients like the idea of having surgery on a robot and like the newest technology. It can also have a positive impact on the recovery of patients. We have a Mako robot for hips and knees that has allowed us to grow our total joint volume, which would have otherwise been done in our main hospital's operating rooms.
Raghu Reddy. Administrator at SurgCenter of Western Maryland (Cumberland): The role of robotics will continue to evolve in the coming years in the ASC space. The very word "robotics" will bring capital investment costs to the forefront of decision-making. Currently, there is not a lot of evidence proving that robotics significantly improves clinical results, especially in orthopedics, where some ASCs are adopting robotics. We could see the competitive advantage the robotics bring to an ASC, but the thing to keep in mind is the reimbursement from the payers to cover the entire capital and maintenance costs of the robotic program in the ASC. We should continue to study the evolving clinical evidence for the outcomes before a justification can be made to include robotics and the footprint needed to accommodate this program.
Christine Washick, RN. Administrator at Triangle Orthopaedics Surgery Center in Raleigh, N.C.: Yes, I think that robotics is an important consideration when planning capital expenditures. Patients are looking not only for safety and value, but advanced technology and the precision of robotics when choosing a surgical facility.