Public Perceptions Toward Robotic Surgery, Telesurgery and Telemedicine

December 31, 2025 updated by: Ling Zhan, Shanghai 6th People's Hospital

Public Awareness, Trust, and Risk Perception Toward Robotic Surgery, Telesurgery and Telemedicine

This study aims to systematically assess the public's and clinicians' levels of awareness, attitudes, risk perception, acceptance, and potential concerns regarding robotic surgery and telesurgery. It also analyzes the key factors influencing their attitudes and explores the needs of physicians regarding training systems for robotic and telesurgery, as well as the factors affecting their preparedness.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Public level:

  • Level of awareness and understanding of robotic and remote surgery (e.g., understanding of operating procedures, the doctor's role, and potential risks).
  • Perceptions and concerns regarding the safety, reliability, cybersecurity risks, and equipment malfunctions of the technology.
  • Trust and acceptance of the technology, and factors that may influence attitudes (e.g., education level, past medical experiences, access to medical resources).
  • Overall expectations and concerns regarding hospitals performing such surgeries.

Healthcare practitioners level:

  • Knowledge level, attitudes, and acceptance of robotic and remote surgery.
  • Views on the learning curve, surgical safety, equipment accessibility, collaborative processes, and potential obstacles.
  • Understanding and actual needs regarding training systems for robotic and remote surgery, including simulator training, mentorship programs, skill evaluation methods, and the transfer of laparoscopic skills to robotic skills.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1000

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Shanghai Municipality
      • Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China, 200233
        • Recruiting
        • Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The general public sample included residents of mainland China aged 18 and older who were able to understand and complete the questionnaire, regardless of gender, region, or occupation. The aim was to assess the general public's awareness, risk perception, trust, and acceptance of robotic surgery and remote surgery. The clinical physician sample included practicing physicians from surgical specialties (such as general surgery, urology, gynecology, thoracic surgery, thyroid surgery, etc.), including residents, attending physicians, and chief/deputy chief physicians of different seniority levels.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Chinese citizens aged 18 years or older
  • Able to understand and complete the questionnaire
  • Voluntarily participating in this study and providing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Aged below 18 years
  • Unable to understand the questionnaire or unable to complete the questionnaire independently
  • Those who submit the questionnaire repeatedly

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Public group
The general public sample included residents of mainland China aged 18 and older who were able to understand and complete the questionnaire, regardless of gender, region, or occupation. The aim was to assess the general public's awareness, risk perception, trust, and acceptance of robotic surgery and remote surgery.
Other: Survey Questionnaire
Anonymous online questionnaire assessing public and physician perceptions of robotic surgery, telesurgery and telemedicine
Physician group
The clinical physician sample included practicing physicians from surgical specialties (such as general surgery, urology, gynecology, thoracic surgery, thyroid surgery, etc.), including residents, attending physicians, and chief/deputy chief physicians of different seniority levels. This group of physicians was used to assess healthcare professionals' awareness, experience, perceived risks, expectations for future applications of robotic and remote surgery, as well as their views on training needs, feasibility, and barriers to training.
Other: Survey Questionnaire
Anonymous online questionnaire assessing public and physician perceptions of robotic surgery, telesurgery and telemedicine

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Public acceptance of robotic surgery
Time Frame: Baseline
The level of acceptance toward robotic surgery among the general public, measured using a 5-point Likert scale assessing willingness to receive robotic-assisted procedures under hypothetical clinical scenarios. Higher scores indicate greater acceptance.
Baseline
Public acceptance of telesurgery and telemedicine
Time Frame: Baseline
The degree of acceptance of telesurgery among the general public, assessed via a validated questionnaire evaluating willingness to undergo remote surgery, perceived safety, and perceived reliability of network-based surgical systems.
Baseline
Public perceived risk of robotic and telesurgery
Time Frame: Baseline
Perceived risk associated with robotic surgery and telesurgery, including concerns about device malfunction, network failure, surgical autonomy, and responsibility attribution, assessed using a multi-item Likert scale. Higher scores indicate higher perceived risk.
Baseline
Physicians' training needs score (assessed by self-designed questionnaire)
Time Frame: Baseline
This measure assesses physicians' perceived training needs regarding required skills (e.g., simulation, console operation) and preferred modalities (e.g., online courses, wet labs). Participants rate items on a 5-point Likert scale (1=Not needed, 5=Highly needed).
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Shanghai 6th People's Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ling Zhan, Dr, Shanghai 6th People's Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 27, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 27, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 31, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 31, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2025-KY-507(K)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Data are available on request due to privacy or other restrictions. The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from Ling Zhan. The data are not publicly available due to them containing information that could compromise research participant privacy.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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