An Analytical Study on Perception and Acceptance of Robotic-Assisted Surgical Interventions

Surgical robotics has evolved into a lucrative alternative to conventional surgery. RAS, or robotic-assisted surgery, boasts many merits, such as precision, decreased invasiveness, and quicker recovery. The popularity of RAS, and its subsequent expansion, requires quality technologies on one hand; and the client society accepting the technology in surgical procedures on the other. This paper has reviewed the literature for public perception, as well as carried out a formal survey to collect public perceptions among 51 individuals spread across demographic areas. The prime manifestation of the study was that the public was fairly aware of RAS, yet lacked detailed knowledge of its application. For instance, participants perceived RAS to be safer and more precise than conventional surgeries, but raised concerns such as cost, utilitarianism (meaning the machine can malfunction or the software can fail), and loss of human control in their care. This study, therefore, rather highlights the need for the development of public education and engagement initiatives to build RAS technologies on a foundation of trust and acceptance. Robotic-assisted surgery is often approached with caution by patients especially when such patients have not had exposure to such a system or understand what they do fear of machine error absence of human control and the expense of the technology all stand as obstacles to its acceptance even though it has been tested and proven the issue is especially critical in developing countries like India where technological literacy and access to healthcare could be very disparate amongst the demographics. Key findings reveal that while approximately 85% of respondents had heard of RAS, a pervasive misconception exists regarding the autonomous nature of robotic surgery, with many wrongly believing robots operate independently. This misunderstanding contributes to common concerns such as machine malfunction, high cost, and a perceived lack of surgeon involvement. Despite these reservations, respondents widely acknowledged significant benefits, including smaller incisions, less pain, and faster recovery, and expressed a general willingness to consider RAS if recommended by a medical professional.