CSJ spoke to Charles Pallandt, chief commercial officer at Incision, to find out how digital tools for education and training could support operating theatre teams to improve performance, reduce delays and improve safety.
Surgical training has been severely impacted by the pandemic. According to the ‘COVID-19 impact on Surgical Training And Recovery’ (COVID-STAR) survey, course cancellations were reported in 80% of cases, while a complete loss of training activity in elective operations (69.5%), outpatient clinics (67.3%), endoscopy (69.5%), specialty-specific accreditations (72%) and simulation training (68%) were also reported.1 This has led to calls for innovative approaches to support training, including the use of digital technologies – from simulation and VR solutions, to digital Apps.
In August 2022, the Royal College of Surgeons published a set of recommendations, which stated that: “Technology enhanced training solutions with evidence to demonstrate educational effectiveness should be considered for integration into surgical training. These should augment and not replace hands-on training.” 2
At the same time, there is an urgent need to improve efficiency and increase capacity in operating theatres, as the NHS battles to reduce waiting times and a backlog of over seven million. Digital technologies could have a vital role to play in:
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