An international consensus panel on the potential value of Digital Surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical innovation and health technology assessment.
• Clinical and economic value analysis of digital surgical tools.

Background:

• Digital technology adoption in surgery is accelerating across various applications.
• Understanding the clinical and economic value of surgical digital technologies is crucial for policy and procurement.
• Expert consensus is needed to guide the assessment of these technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential value of digital technologies in surgery.
• To achieve expert consensus on methods for assessing the value of digital surgical technologies.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi and consensus conference approach was employed.
• An international panel of 14 experts from diverse stakeholder groups participated.
• Multiple questionnaire rounds and consensus conferences were conducted to refine statements.

Main Results:

• Four priority topics were identified: data usage, evidence base, training/education, and assessment methods.
• Seven consensus statements were generated with high agreement (mean 7.1–8.6).
• Key areas for assessment include data utilization, evidence, training, and evaluation methodologies.

Conclusions:

• Digital surgery technologies can potentially reduce practice variation, enhance surgical access, and decrease health inequalities.
• Holistic assessment of the surgical ecosystem is critical due to the interconnectedness of digital technologies.
• Developing robust assessment frameworks is vital for realizing the full potential of digital surgery.