This viewpoint explores the ethical and regulatory consequences of the digital transformation of the operating room. Surgical robotics is undergoing significant change and future advances will center around the capture and use of data. The consequences of creating this surgical data pipeline must be understood and digital surgical systems must prioritize the safeguarding of patient data. Moreover, data protection laws and frameworks must adapt to the changing nature of surgical data. Finally, digital surgeons must understand changing data legislation and best practice on data governance to act as guardians not only for their own but also for their patients' data.
Keywords: data governance; digital health care; digital surgeons; digital surgery; ethics; robotics; smartphone app; surgery.
©Kyle Lam, Sanjay Purkayastha, James M Kinross. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 05.07.2021.