The pandemic has exposed the need for change and improvement in healthcare systems right around the world. To address demands like reducing healthcare costs, improving the quality of care, and protecting workforces, hospitals are looking to technology. This is especially true in the surgical field, where backlogs and other effects from the pandemic are still having an impact. The pressure is enormous, meaning that surgical technologies which can deliver effective treatment and quick recoveries are needed more than ever.
In Asia, that challenge is particularly acute, because access to surgery was a huge problem even before the pandemic. Even in high-income Asia-Pacific countries, nearly 53% of the population was believed to be without access to surgery, according to a 2015 study by The Lancet Global Health. Compare that to high-income North American countries, where the proportion was less than 1%. The population is living longer too, meaning more demands on the healthcare system as doctors and patients seek to maintain quality of life.
And even without the pressures of the pandemic, operations can be physically and mentally demanding for surgeons, causing them stress and fatigue. In a manual laparoscopy – or keyhole surgery – a surgeon’s camera and instruments access a patient’s abdomen throughsmall incisions, rather than large cuts. One study found that 76% of surgeons reported back pain while performing laparoscopic surgery. And up to 20% of the surgeons surveyed also stated that they may need to retire early due to the physical impact of this kind of surgery, making this a critical issue in the field.
[Versius® can ease the physical strain that traditional surgery places on surgeons]
Thankfully, Hong Kong is well-placed to face this challenge. Its healthcare sector is a global leader in bringing the benefits of high-tech surgical solutions to surgeons and patients, especially when it comes to surgical robots. With their increased accuracy, efficiency, precision and dexterity, surgical robots mean more procedures can take place, and that more of them can be performed using keyhole surgery.
![[Versius® Surgical Robotic System at Gleneagles Hospital] - Photo: Gleneagles Hospital](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/2022/07/13/CMR_hero_image.jpg?itok=IL1V3WvW)
![[Versius® can ease the physical strain that traditional surgery places on surgeons]](https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/styles/660w/public/d8/images/2022/07/11/CMR_in-text_image_1.jpg?itok=86YCLne5 "[Versius® can ease the physical strain that traditional surgery places on surgeons]")