Sam Brusco, Associate Editor06.02.22
Robotic assistance during surgical procedures has largely been provoked by surgeon demand. Robotic-assisted surgical devices feature smaller, more precise instruments so the surgery can be done without an open procedure and with improved dexterity. A robotic strategy can offer better—even 3D—visualization of the surgical site, reduced post-operative pain, and minimal scarring. The technology has entered the fabric of healthcare so strongly that medical schools and residency programs have embraced surgical training using robotic technologies.
The surgical robotics sector is also hampered by a high capital investment and operating cost—robotic equipment doesn’t come cheap, and specialized instruments and consumables add to the cost. Currently it’s mostly well-funded, larger teaching hospitals able to afford them. Smaller institutions like ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) and local community hospitals are often unable to front the cost, fueling inequities in care and efficiency.
And even for larger hospitals, the drop in elective surgeries over the last two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic offset the high investment in capital equipment. The supply of critical components for surgical robotic technologies was also hampered and continues to recover.
“The COVID-19 pandemic, along with various other factors, contributed to a global semiconductor chip shortage, wreaking havoc on the supply chain, especially for hardware components—critical to the manufacture of surgical robots/robotic devices,” said Shawn Vanseth, business development specialist at MedAcuity, a Westford, Mass.-based software development partner for medical devices, healthcare technologies, and regulated robotics. “Thousands of components are needed for complex surgical robotic devices, putting a heavy reliance on global manufacturers and suppliers of these components and parts.”
“Impact to device OEMs is felt at both the business and technical levels,” Vanseth continued. “Business tradeoffs are being made to maintain project schedules; they’re resorting to using available components instead of the ‘best.’ Creative workarounds by product owners and system architects to find available processors and components to work with are creating a two-fold problem: making redesign decisions on the fly that disrupt project management schedules, and product managers and system architects spending time on unplanned activities—time away from the actual development effort.”
The pandemic made the significant expenditure needed for surgical robotic equipment more difficult to justify. But the technology’s promise of better visualization, dexterity, and outcomes can’t be ignored. The idea of a shared risk model between the vendors and hospitals is emerging for more apt ways to obtain the devices and have the manufacturer be a part of the costs and risks.
This article is featured in the MPO eBook "Engaging Electronics." Click here to download the eBook and finish reading this article.
The surgical robotics sector is also hampered by a high capital investment and operating cost—robotic equipment doesn’t come cheap, and specialized instruments and consumables add to the cost. Currently it’s mostly well-funded, larger teaching hospitals able to afford them. Smaller institutions like ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) and local community hospitals are often unable to front the cost, fueling inequities in care and efficiency.
And even for larger hospitals, the drop in elective surgeries over the last two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic offset the high investment in capital equipment. The supply of critical components for surgical robotic technologies was also hampered and continues to recover.
“The COVID-19 pandemic, along with various other factors, contributed to a global semiconductor chip shortage, wreaking havoc on the supply chain, especially for hardware components—critical to the manufacture of surgical robots/robotic devices,” said Shawn Vanseth, business development specialist at MedAcuity, a Westford, Mass.-based software development partner for medical devices, healthcare technologies, and regulated robotics. “Thousands of components are needed for complex surgical robotic devices, putting a heavy reliance on global manufacturers and suppliers of these components and parts.”
“Impact to device OEMs is felt at both the business and technical levels,” Vanseth continued. “Business tradeoffs are being made to maintain project schedules; they’re resorting to using available components instead of the ‘best.’ Creative workarounds by product owners and system architects to find available processors and components to work with are creating a two-fold problem: making redesign decisions on the fly that disrupt project management schedules, and product managers and system architects spending time on unplanned activities—time away from the actual development effort.”
The pandemic made the significant expenditure needed for surgical robotic equipment more difficult to justify. But the technology’s promise of better visualization, dexterity, and outcomes can’t be ignored. The idea of a shared risk model between the vendors and hospitals is emerging for more apt ways to obtain the devices and have the manufacturer be a part of the costs and risks.
This article is featured in the MPO eBook "Engaging Electronics." Click here to download the eBook and finish reading this article.