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Evidence-based clinical studies are a cornerstone for the advancement of surgical technologies in India. These studies validate new tools and techniques, improve patient outcomes, inform policy, and help ensure that technological innovations are accessible, effective, and safe for a diverse population. They also help foster a culture of continuous improvement, where medical professionals can stay at the forefront of surgical advancements, thus contributing to the overall progress of the healthcare system in India, stated Rohit Mahajan, director, commercial operations – Asia, Intuitive.
Ever since its debut in India over two decades ago, robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has been gaining a foothold in hospitals across the country. There are over 170 da Vinci installs across India and more than 100,000 surgeries have been completed using da Vinci. In order to strengthen the robotic-assisted surgery ecosystem in India beyond the Tier-1 cities and enhance its adoption in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, there is a need for a concerted effort to drive awareness about the benefits of RAS, forge public-private partnerships to make it more accessible, and rally for its inclusion in major health insurance policies to make it more affordable to all sections of society, he added.
The accelerated adoption of technologies like RAS will also depend on government’s support by reducing import duties which would help reduce the price to the patients. As the leaders in robotic-assisted surgery, Intuitive has been collaborating with various surgical societies, associations and industry bodies to support and enhance awareness and adoption of RAS, Mahajan told Pharmabiz.
With the adoption of robotic technology in hospitals across India, Intuitive facilitates the seamless integration of da Vinci technology into clinical practice. The company provides best-in-class technology training and support to surgeons in India throughout their careers – from initial exposure to the technology to surgeon-led advanced training and peer-to-peer mentoring, ensuring they have the skills and experience necessary to utilize the da Vinci surgical system effectively. Additionally, through initiatives like the Xi Experience Centre, Remote Case Observations leveraging Intuitive Telepresence, we collaborate with existing and potential customers to aid healthcare professionals in understanding the benefits of RAS using da Vinci surgical system, facilitating better patient care, he said.
The next era of robotic surgery will be a digitally enabled robotic ecosystem that can help integrate all the advanced tools, instruments, and data-driven insights that surgeons and care teams will need for each stage of the patient journey. We are focused on Surgical Data Science as it helps make high-quality robotic surgery more reproducible in the hands of many. These help to uncover new ways to improve surgical techniques, reduce complications, and personalize care, he noted.
The role of evidence-based clinical studies in the advancement of surgical technologies showcases the effectiveness of treatments and help surgeons make informed decisions leading to better patient outcomes. In fact, Intuitive in collaboration with 14 government and private centres across India recently published a clinical study on robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) using the da Vinci surgical system. These kind of evidence-based research studies have driven wider adoption of RAS within the surgical community in India, enhancing surgeons' confidence in its use, stated Mahajan.
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