A step-by-step guide for implementation of virtual surgical applications and patient data centralization: practical...

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Digital Health
• Medical Technology Integration

Background:

• Digitalization expands surgical phases, integrating technologies like virtual surgical planning (VSP), additive manufacturing (AM), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to enhance precision and efficiency.
• Implementation faces organizational challenges including high costs, inefficient resource use, and the need for specialized interdisciplinary expertise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a practical, step-by-step overview of establishing a centralized platform within academic hospitals.
• To address and solve practical and organizational issues related to surgical digitalization.

Main Methods:

• A bottom-up approach was employed to ensure stakeholder engagement.
• A core group identified key stakeholders and facilitated multiple focus groups.
• Focus groups discussed action points, identified essential components, and formulated solutions for implementation barriers.

Main Results:

• Implementation focused on five key areas: medical imaging/segmentation, centralized computing capacity (CPU/GPU) with ICT collaboration, medical device/in-house AM for 3D-printed models, operating room integration (CPSD), and external industry/academic collaboration.
• The protocol emphasizes identifying existing innovations, challenges, and effective solutions for interventional medical digitalization.

Conclusions:

• Centralizing surgical digitalization streamlines workflows, accelerates processing, and improves multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Successful implementation requires coordinated input from medical, technical, and legal experts.
• The resulting platform supports continuous innovation while maintaining compliance and adaptability.