Quality over quantity-current challenges of robotic surgery in Poland

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Surgical Innovation
• Healthcare Systems Analysis

Background:

• Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has seen dynamic growth in Poland since 2010.
• The number of institutions using RAS has tripled in 36 months, with 80 robots nationally.
• Urology dominates RAS use (73%), but gynecology and gastrointestinal surgery adoption is increasing due to reimbursement policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the current state and challenges of robotic-assisted surgery implementation in Poland.
• To identify key factors hindering the national integration and optimization of RAS.
• To propose standardized actions for maximizing the potential of surgical robotic systems.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of national robotic system utilization data.
• Assessment of procedure volume and surgeon case numbers.
• Identification of challenges including regional disparities and lack of standardized registries.

Main Results:

• Significant fragmentation in RAS procedures; 47.7% of surgeons perform fewer than 40 cases annually.
• Regional disparities in access and underutilization of robotic systems are prevalent.
• A lack of a centralized, standardized registry for evaluating surgical and oncological outcomes was identified.

Conclusions:

• Expanding robotic surgery reimbursement requires parallel standardized actions for optimization.
• Addressing regional disparities, underutilization, and establishing uniform evaluation frameworks are critical.
• Structured training and outcome evaluation are essential for maximizing the national potential of RAS in Poland.