May - June, 2024 | Marcio Covas Moschovas, Shady Saikali, Travis Rogers, Ahmed Gamal, Roshane Perera, Sumeet Reddy, Vipul Patel
The article explores the ethical implications of telesurgery in the current era of medical innovation, highlighting the expansion of surgical procedures beyond traditional settings. Key ethical considerations include:
1. **Surgeon-Patient Relationship**: The challenge of maintaining a deep connection with patients in remote settings, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen an increase in telemedicine use.
2. **Dehumanization and Objectification**: The potential for advanced robotic platforms to distance surgeons from patients' individuality, emphasizing the need to ensure patient autonomy and individuality.
3. **Patient Vulnerability**: The remote nature of telesurgery introduces challenges in responding to complications and ensuring patient safety, requiring comprehensive informed consent and well-informed decision-making.
4. **Informed Consent**: The need to redefine informed consent to include detailed information about the procedure, its limitations, and the roles of both local and remote surgeons.
5. **Legal and Jurisdictional Issues**: The importance of harmonized legal frameworks to ensure patient well-being and professional responsibility, including malpractice obligations and reimbursement rules.
6. **Cybersecurity and Patient Confidentiality**: The vulnerability to cyberattacks and the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect surgical integrity and patient confidentiality.
The authors emphasize the importance of addressing these ethical dilemmas to establish a safe and responsible telesurgery routine, ensuring patient autonomy, transparent communication, and trust in the surgeon-patient relationship.The article explores the ethical implications of telesurgery in the current era of medical innovation, highlighting the expansion of surgical procedures beyond traditional settings. Key ethical considerations include:
1. **Surgeon-Patient Relationship**: The challenge of maintaining a deep connection with patients in remote settings, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen an increase in telemedicine use.
2. **Dehumanization and Objectification**: The potential for advanced robotic platforms to distance surgeons from patients' individuality, emphasizing the need to ensure patient autonomy and individuality.
3. **Patient Vulnerability**: The remote nature of telesurgery introduces challenges in responding to complications and ensuring patient safety, requiring comprehensive informed consent and well-informed decision-making.
4. **Informed Consent**: The need to redefine informed consent to include detailed information about the procedure, its limitations, and the roles of both local and remote surgeons.
5. **Legal and Jurisdictional Issues**: The importance of harmonized legal frameworks to ensure patient well-being and professional responsibility, including malpractice obligations and reimbursement rules.
6. **Cybersecurity and Patient Confidentiality**: The vulnerability to cyberattacks and the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect surgical integrity and patient confidentiality.
The authors emphasize the importance of addressing these ethical dilemmas to establish a safe and responsible telesurgery routine, ensuring patient autonomy, transparent communication, and trust in the surgeon-patient relationship.