New guidance published to aid researchers evaluating surgical robots

Key recommendations published in Nature Medicine set out guidelines for the evaluation of surgical robotics Image credit: Academy of Medical Sciences Surgical robotics are amongst the most complex devices entering healthcare, but how should we evaluate them? Published in Nature Medicine , the Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment and Long-term monitoring (IDEAL) Robotics Colloquium outlines the latest guidance to aid researchers evaluating surgical robots. Surgical robots are poised to significantly alter the healthcare landscape, with expansion of the field of robotics increasingly permeating health systems. This is an exciting time for both patients and surgeons, but is not without risk. Lessons from the past showcase the harms of innovating without evaluating, and as the diffusion of surgical robots increases, thoughtful and robust evaluation methods must be established. Whilst they pose the same traditional challenges seen when evaluating medical devices, they are amongst the most complex systems entering contemporary health systems, and are, by their nature, a disruptive innovation, obligating major changes in the way work is done and in the business model of surgery. This warrants bespoke analysis and careful evaluation.