Patient public perspectives on digital colorectal cancer surgery (DALLAS)

The importance of patient perspectives is increasingly appreciated in clinical practice and academia with formal engagement processes developing worldwide. Digital surgery encompasses intraoperative patient data (including surgical video) analysis and so requires public-patient involvement (PPI).

Engagement events were conducted based on NIHR and GRIPP2 LF guidelines. Following informative talks on digital surgery, invited patients and patient relatives were split into focus groups regarding 1) Research; 2) Data; 3) Industry Involvement; and 4) Artificial Intelligence in surgery. Scribed feedback was thematically analysed by two researchers independently. A pre and post event survey was sought voluntarily.

36 participant perspectives were analysed. In general, patients were enthusiastic about having a voice in surgical research and sharing their journey, with most groups concluding that capturing this was most appropriate after treatment recovery. The use of patient data for surgical development (i.e. research and education) was endorsed unanimously for the purpose of future patient benefit when responsibly and transparently managed and the value of industry was acknowledged. From 30 pre/post surveys (all p > 0.05), participants afforded the greatest data (including video) ownership claim to the surgical team (52 %/48 %) versus patients (32 %/24 %) and the hospital (12 %/24 %). While most (73 %/80 %) agreed that AI should be applied in surgical care, most felt the surgeon most valuable (93 %/80 %) with participants disagreeing that AI should make diagnoses (57 %/64 %) or treat patients (70 %/70 %) without human input.

Patients capably represent stable views and expectations that can strengthen modern and evolving surgical development involving data privacy, ownership and management.