Robotically assisted surgery is in the spotlight again as one commentator says it doesn’t justify its cost. Our weekly editorial discusses whether providers have much choice about whether to invest if they’re to remain current and competitive.
This week’s editorial looks at that old elephant, still standing in the corner of the room. It’s the fact that despite decades of technological advancement, aimed at improving healthcare delivery and outcomes, while also improving efficiency, we’re spending more on health than ever. While many breakthroughs have delivered on all fronts, a recent article questioned whether that was the case for robotically assisted surgery for such as radical prostatectomy.
“View From The Med” this week asks whether investing millions on robots is good use of permanently stretched resources, when some claim outcomes are no better than traditional surgery.
More to the point, does the robot example mark a new line in the sand, making us recognise the need to justify such investments rather more thoroughly.
At the end of the day though, it looks like, unless a new technology definitely doesn’t work, we’ll keep buying.
Read all about it, here.
published: May 9, 2014 in: General Surgery, Healthcare, medlatest Editorial, Oncology