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Remote Surgery -  The Use of Robotics, and the Ramifications for Healthcare and Employment

Remote Surgery - The Use of Robotics, and the Ramifications for Healthcare and Employment

Published By Kopi , 6 years ago

Remote surgery, or telesurgery as it is also commonly known, gives accomplished doctors and surgeons the chance to perform live surgery without being physically present in the same location as the patient on whom they are operating.
The system used to conduct the surgery, in effect a robot, comprises one or more arms that are controlled via remote control by the surgeon, a master controller or console, and a sensory computer system that feeds information back to the surgeon throughout the procedure.

Questions have been raised of late regarding the legitimacy and effectiveness of remote surgical procedures, considering that, while the field is well established, most of the remote procedures carried out to date have been done by surgeons in the same location as the surgery.

While these issues have been addressed, the field of telesurgery offers new hope for those in regional and remote areas, as well as those in poor nations who lack access to medical treatment, as there is no longer a need for them to travel to a hospital to receive world class surgery.

The cost of receiving treatment via telesurgery can be estimated to be upwards of $2,500 more than regular surgery. This is because the cost of an operation must cover costs of the surgical system, the surgeon themselves, and must contribute to keeping the telemedical equipment updated.

Many studies and researchers have speculated that just because the procedures are undertaken by precise robotic technologies, does not make them any safer than regular procedures carried out by the hands of a surgeon.

While the procedures may be cutting edge and state of the art, other than the pros of being able to perform surgery on those who physically cannot make it to the hospital, the benefits of the procedures are unsubstantiated.

In fact, complications in minimally invasive surgeries including the removal of ovaries and ovarian cysts have been reported more frequently during remote procedures than procedures done via the surgeon on location.

The same was revealed for robotic hysterectomies, which had a far higher chance of complication that regular laparoscopic surgery.

However, with the advancements in technology also come ramifications for future employment.

These include the extension of surgical procedures having to be learnt by medical practitioners, who now have to learn to operate the telesurgery equipment as well as how to conduct the surgery.

This further training results in more extensive education for the surgeons, many of whom may be turned away from the field by the notion of extended studies, meaning in time finding surgeons to conduct the remote operations may prove increasingly difficult.

In order to keep Australia on par with the rest of the work in the medical industry, Heathcarelink endeavours to provide as much updated information on remote surgery as possible.

This in turn will ensure Australian health care workers are up with the best in the world, and are able to provide some of the best health care globally to their patients.

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