Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/835905
26 Executive Briefing Sponsored by: 3 New and Smart Technologies to Look for in a Surgical Video System As the Internet of things (IoT), SmartTVs, Alexa and other "smart" products start to infiltrate our homes and daily lives out- side of surgery, some wonder what technologies are making their way into the operating room to assist surgeons and staff members. When it comes to surgical cameras for minimally in- vasive procedures, having a connected system is already show- ing value to surgeons. We were able to obtain interviews with surgeons from across the country talking about voice control, cloud-based systems and apps for surgeons that pair with their video towers. Here is what they said. Voice Control We have all experienced voice control in our consumer lives, but now voice control is available in the operating room and it enables surgeons to control devices, capture, and label images quickly. Shahab Abdessalam, MD,Robert Shalvoy, MD, and An- drew Huang, MD, give us their take on the voice systems they use in their procedures and how it helps them throughout their day. Q: What does having a system that offers device and voice con- trol mean to you? RS: Having a voice-activated tower is like having another per- son in the room. So in cases when you need to make some ad- justments on the tower you're able to verbally talk to the tower itself and not wait for someone else in the room to come over and adjust the pump or make changes that you can make your- self. All of the equipment works together seamlessly. With the Stryker system we have always experienced smooth integration of all the parts. SA: Control of an operating room for a surgeon is paramount. To give that control of pressure, lighting, picture taking, every- thing all-encompassing with voice control was a huge advan- tage for me, and a huge advantage for the room. Q: How has your staff reacted to the voice control system? SA: I don't know how many nurses have come up to me and said, "That has just saved me so much effort and trouble." They're very appreciative of it. For me it just speeds everything up. It's a quicker process, I'm not waiting for somebody, I'm not asking for somebody to come, and surgeons like control; its inherent within our systems. RS: My nurses often will come up to me afterwards and tell me how much they enjoy having the system in our hospital and how they're able to concentrate on what they're doing as well. It's really made them much more comfortable and much more efficient in the operating room. And they've come up to me directly and said how much happier they are with the Stryker system. Q: How long did it take you to get used to the system? RS: You get used to it very fast, and you really have a sense that you're 100 percent in control of the case as its going. It really didn't take long to get used to the system. It's very intuitive and responsive. AH: It's very easy to get used to. The response that the device has is actually very good. It has good voice recognition. I am not originally from the United States and have a little bit of an accent and have had no problems with it. Q: How has voice control impacted your overall surgical experi- ence? AH: It's really conducive to the way we practice, especially when you're doing a large volume of procedures. It's interac- tive, that's what makes it fun. RS: Once you have the system and realize you can stay 100 per- cent focused on your case, then you really appreciate what the system can do for you. It's a great enhancement to your surgical experience. "Once you have the system and can realize you can stay 100 percent focused on your case, then you really appreciate what the system can do for you." — Dr. Robert Shalvoy