While da Vinci was FDA approved in 2000, many doctors still question its overall effectiveness, and rightfully so. With many different factors, such as cost, outcomes, and patient safety, for hospitals to consider when deciding whether to implement the da Vinci, the comparison of robotic and laparoscopic surgery clearly show that the benefits and overall value of the da Vinci do not outweigh the initial investment and lack of advantages contrasted to tradition minimally-invasive surgery. Dr. John Santa, a medical director at Consumer Reports Health, says, “It’s a fancier way of doing what we’ve always been able to do” …show more content…
The fact that robotic surgery has become so market driven has outweighed the machine’s benefit and potential. Da Vinci surgery could seriously do some good and be developed to outperform and be much more useful than laparoscopic or open surgery. "I think robotic surgery can be great," says Francois Blaudeau, M.D., who is a surgeon based in Birmingham, Alabama. "The problem is that we took a technology that was evolving and ran 180 miles an hour with it before we were sure what we had." What should have happened is robotic surgery should have been released with restraint and caution. Before the da Vinci could become a major part of hospitals, the technology should have been fully evaluated and tested to see what proven benefits the machinery had compared to other types of surgery. However, what really happened was the robotics industry was on the rise as many companies were starting to make new and innovative advancements. The technology caught on and hospitals started implementing the da Vinci because they feared that if they didn’t have one, patients would seek other hospitals that did (Beil). Again, this is because Americans, and many other nationalities, tend to think whatever technology is the latest, must be the greatest and best piece of equipment out there. However, without the proven benefits of robotic surgery, the technology should