Public Perceptions Toward Robotic Surgery, Telesurgery and Telemedicine

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: Recruiting
• Conditions: Telemedicine; Robotic Surgery
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Survey Questionnaire

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: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 1000

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ling Zhan, Dr; Phone Number: 08615821120972; Email: 15821120972@163.com

Study Locations

• China
  • Shanghai Municipality
    • Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China, 200233
      • Recruiting
      • Shanghai sixth people's hospital
      • Contact: Ling Zhan, Doctor; Phone Number: 08615821120972; Email: rebecca0428zhan@163.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• 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

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
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

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Public acceptance of robotic surgery	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	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	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)	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

• Sponsor: Shanghai 6th People's Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ling Zhan, Dr, Shanghai 6th People's Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 27, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 27, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): January 31, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): January 2, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 31, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Surgical training; Public perception; Telemedicine adoption; Surgical decision-making
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Endocrine System Diseases; Thyroid Diseases; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Investigative Techniques; Epidemiologic Methods; Data Collection; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Public Health; Environment and Public Health; Surveys and Questionnaires
• Other Study ID 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